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AN 

INTRODUCTION 

TO 



(ssaiaii^ajmasm 



DESIGNED TO PRESERVE 



YOUNG PEOPLE 



FROM 

IRUELIGION ifpfD VICE. 

BY JOSEPH SUTCLIFFE, 

1 write unto thee, mosfeyexcellent Theophilus, that thou 
rnightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast 
been instructed : which things the angels desire to look into. 

Luke i. 4.— 1 Pet. i. 12. 

Que ceux qui combattent la religion, anprennent au moins 
qu'elle est avant que de la combattre. — Pascal. 



Second American, from the second [improved) English 
edition. 



m*m*$Q9* 



WEtV-YORK: 

PUBLISHED BT J. SOULE AND T. MASON, FOR THE METHODIST 
EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES. 



J. C. Totten, printer. 
1317. 






la Ebtoaauge 
Drew Tiiootoq. s«m. 
22 Jel90T 



to 



TO 

ROBERT CARR BRACKENBURY, ESQ. 

OF 

RA1THBY HALL, LINCOLNSHIRE, 
■ A Pattern of Genuine Christianity from his early life,) 

THE FOLLOWING SHEETS 

ARE MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, 
AS A 

TOKEN OF the sincere love and esteem 

OF 
HIS OBLIGED 

AND OBEDIENT SERVANT, 

THE J1UTHOE, 

Howden, July 13, 1801. 



INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS- 



In the following sheets, the author is aware that 
he treads a beaten and an ancient path. And he is 
conscious of being much more solicitious to avoid 
error, and to enrich the mind with solid instruc- 
tion, than to indulge in novelty of thought. His 
sole wish is, to meet the peculiar exigencies of the 
age, and to contribute his mite with the multitude, 
to the public store of sacred knowledge. 

He has read, at least, one hundred and fifty vol- 
umes expressly written upon this subject, besides 
occasionally consulting a great number of other 
works ; it being requisite that nothing of importance 
should be omitted in a treatise of this nature. Some 
of the above works have been written by philoso- 
phers and divines who were never exceeded in gen- 
ius and literature. Persons acquainted with these 
writings can expect nothing new with regard to the 
original evidences of Christianity. They stand ex- 
posed like a fabric on a rock, which cannot be sha- 
ken by the caprice of future times. However, as 
we approach nearer to the glory of the latter day, 
something new, perhaps, may be expected with re- 
gard to the unaccomplished prophecies which re- 
spect that happy age. 

A % 



6 INTRODUCTION. 

The author has remarked with extreme concern, 
that among the many dignified preachers, who have 
distinguished themselves at our established lectures 
for the defence of Christianity, few indeed have 
treated of the new birth, and of the operations of 
the Holy Spirit. They have displayed their learn- 
ing in dull and sober argumentation, but have neg- 
lected to warm and interest the heart. This is the 
real cause why their volumes have produced so little 
effect, and why they have remained in fair bindings 
for a hundred years. What can be more insipid than 
a mere system of religious notions, cold and unap- 
plied ? If it be really true, in order to avoid enthu- 
siasm, that the understanding alone is to be exer- 
cised in religious concerns, how is the depraved 
heart to be reformed, and man restored to the 
jmage of God? 

The peculiar bias of this age towards infidelity, 
renders it necessary for the Christian world to be 
acquainted at large with the foundation of their 
faith, and to secure their consecrated offspring 
against the prevailing corruption. Deism, Soci- 
nianism, Materialism, and innumerable casts of 
skepticism, have gained the ascendancy in our lit- 
erary productions. Were the contagion confined 
to novels and plays, complaint would scarcely be 
made ; but it contaminates our Encyclopaedias, 
Reviews, Travels and Sermons. Hence, our sub- 
oription libraries, so well calculated to diffuse 
knowledge and improve the mind, are likely to be- 
come institutions of ruin to the enlightened part of 



INTRODUCTION. 7 

the nation. It is deeply to be regretted, that the 
gentry and tradesmen who pay an exterior rever- 
ence to Christianity, should be so incautious or 
lukewarm as to crowd their libraries with books of 
this description. Secure and unalarmed for them- 
selves, they treasure up with perfect indifference, 
a source of immoral doctrines for their children and 
the rising age. 

From books, and characters of this description, 
Christian parents, so circumstanced, cannot wholly 
secure their children. They abound in all the pub- 
lic intercourse of society, and frequently find their 
way into the retreats of private life. Every one 
should therefore be armed at an early period against 
those licentious principles, which at once would 
supersede the laws of morality, and rob him of his 
immortal hope in Jesus Christ. 

Young people, especially, should be apprised of 
the method which infidels take to destroy the faith. 
They seldom attack Christianity by argument, be- 
cause they cannot succeed by their boasted powers 
of reason. They seldom appeal to historic evi- 
dence, for Christianity is already established by 
facts, and many of those facts have been acknowl- 
edged by its enemies. But wit is their favorite fort. 
By this mere appearance of argument, people of 
weak and dissipated minds are readily prevailed up- 
on to give up a religion so restrictive of their pas- 
sions, and which they were never instructed to de- 
fend. With him who is properly acquainted with 
the truth of his religion, the case is otherwise. He 



3 INTRODUCTION, 

appeals to the glory and fulness of the internal evi- 
dences of Christianity, as admirably adapted to 
promote the happiness of society, to afford adequate 
consolation to sinful men, and to secure the honor 
of God in our salvation. He takes sanctuary un- 
der a cloud of evidence, deduced from the indispu- 
table accomplishment of the scripture prophecies. 
By these, St. Paul confounded the Jews at Damas- 
cus ; by these, Porphiry, in fact, confessed himself 
vanquished, when he said, that Daniel's prophecy 
of the seventy weeks was written after the events 
had taken place. He retorts the arguments of infi- 
dels on their own absurd and contradictory sys- 
tems. They shrink for want of ground, while he 
remains unshaken on the rock. 

However, it is not argument alone, but holiness, 
productive of every virtue, which is the ultimate ob- 
ject of religious education. In this view, it is es- 
sentially connected with domestic happiness. Pa- 
rents, most assuredly, would have their children to 
be possessed of virtue, and especially of filial virtue. 
But the moral conduct requires the support of moral 
principles. The wiser heathens discovered, at an 
early period of society, that virtue could not be 
supported unless founded on the belief in a God, a 
providence, and a future state. No man will pro- 
perly honor his parents, who does not honor and 
worship his Maker : and no man will be deterred 
from the commission of secret crimes unless he be- 
lieve that he cannot escape the judgments of God. 
Would we, therefore, prevent the embarrassment 
and ruin, the seduction and suicide, which so fre- 



INTRODUCTION. i) 

quently attend a life of dissipation and infidelity, 
we should habituate our children to converse with 
truth, with providence, and with their own hearts. 
Religious instruction should constitute an essential 
branch of education in all our public seminaries. — 
A tutor is not qualified for his office, unless he teach 
his pupils to prefer the sacred scriptures to the 
classics of Greece and Rome ; and those Christian 
philosophers who have so happily united revelation 
and literature, to those unprincipled authors who 
have distinguished themselves in the schools of in- 
fidelity. 

Children are educated for business, and accom- 
plished for the world, with the utmost attention. — 
No cost is spared to procure them the best books, 
and the ablest teachers. But the Christian philos- 
ophy, which alone can set them right as creatures 
with their Creator, and as sinners with their Sav- 
iour, is left to be gleaned from detached sermons, 
and a few family books, which are perhaps ill cho- 
sen, seldom read, and never studied. Hence it is, 
that they never understand the beauty and perfec- 
tion of the religion they profess. It has never 
been exhibited to them in such an entire view, 
as to gain the judgment, and impress the heart ; 
consequently, they can never embrace it with a 
enlightened and conscientious regard. 

To accomplish these desirable objects, and ex- 
hibit the Christian religion in as enlarged a view 
as corresponds with the brevity of the work, has 
avowedly been the wish of the author. He has 



10 INTRODUCTION. 

commenced with natural religion, and followed the 
light of gradual revelation, through the Patriarchal, 
the Jewish, and Christian dispensations ; because, 
being immediately connected, they illustrate each 
other. He has endeavoured to conduct the devout 
pupil from the outward to the inner courts of the 
temple ; that having leisurely viewed the several 
parts, he may be able to contemplate the admirable 
wisdom of God in the combination of the whole. — 
This work being designed for schools and families, 
is divided into sections, and the arguments are num- 
bered in Roman capitals : the connexion being ren- 
dered easy by distinctions, and the lessons propor- 
tioned to the time and capacity of the reader, the pro- 
gress is facilitated. But here, as in the acquisition of 
science, verbal explications should be given of the 
terms. And by going two or three times over the 
book, in this way, the pupil will be initiated into 
the Christian religion, prepared to read the sacred 
scriptures with pleasure, and to hear sermons with 
edification. 

May the Almighty God give his blessing to these 
poor labors, and so irradiate the mind of the reader, 
that he may pay an enlightened homage to his Ma- 
ker, and repose his soul in the arms of his Redeem- 
er, from a full conviction of the truth and reasona- 
bleness of the Christian religion. 

Leeds, May 10, 1803. 



•\ 



INTRODUCTION 

TO 

CHRISTIANITY 



SECTION I. 

GENERAL RULES, COMPREHENDING THE DOCTRINES, DUTIES, 
AND DEFECTS OF NATURAL RELIGION. 

Il n'st point ici bas de lumiere sans ombres 

Eieu ne s'y montre a nous que sous de voiles sombres : 

La colonne qui luit dan ce desert affreux, 

Tourne aussi qiielquefois son cote tenebreux. 

RACINE. 

Entering now ori the subject, which comprehends 
our happiness in this and the future world ; which 
discovers the nature, and fixes the rewards of vice 
and virtue ; which unfolds the divine economy in the 
restoration of man to holiness and heaven, it soli- 
cits a consideration adequate to its importance, and 
claims the study of our calmest arid most retired 
moments. 

A survey of the visible heavens, connected 
with the minuter studies of natural history, always 
inspires the heart with devotion ; and enraptures the 
soul with gratitude to the Creator, who is possessed 
of perfections and happiness far above all that mor- 
tals can comprehend. We shall therefore com- 
mence by a demonstration of his being and attri- 
butes, deduced from his works; and lay down the re- 
ceived doctrines of natural religion, as the basis of 
the Christian fabric. Here our sole embarrasment 
is a superabundance of proof; — we are dazzled 



12 INTRODUCTION 

with lustre, the whole universe being full of the 
divide glory. 

1 . The existence of one supreme and eternal God, 
may be proved from the unanimous consent of all 
ages and nations. Though the heathens worship- 
ped innumerable divinities, yet on emergencies, or 
when surprised by some sudden calamity, they 
would exclaim, " O the great God ! O the good 
God !" or, " O the true God !"* Hence it is pre- 
sumed, considering the diversity of their mythol- 
ogy, that they could not have been so unanimous in 
these exclamations, had not God impressed a con- 
viction of his being and perfections on every bosom. 

2. The spacious firmament of heaven ; the magni- 
tude, splendor, and harmony of its orbs ; the vari- 
ety, beauty, and uses of plants ; the numerous sub- 
stances of which the earth is composed ; the mechan- 
ism, and forms of animal bodies, are so many strik- 
ing evidences of th-e existence of the great Creator. 
Whether we view th£m separately, or harmonized 
in the glorious universe, they exhibit marks of con- 
trivance and skill, which can never be fathomed. 
They all tend to some good, and must have pro- 
ceeded from an overflowing source of wisdom, power, 
and love. 

3. The being and perfections of God are fur- 
ther demonstrated by the preservation of harmony 
throughout the universe. The revolutions of the 
planets — the succession of the seasons — the growth 
of vegetables — the proportion of males and females, 
are connected with an immensity of minuter move- 
ments ; and yet, the whole is conducted without 
discord, and without defect. How amazingly grand 
is the idea it presents of the comprehensive wisdom, 
the never-failing providence, and immutability of 
God! 

* Justin Martyr's Apology. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. IS 

4. The being and perfections of the Deity are 
farther proved from the rational powers of the hu- 
man soul. By history, it can assemble all the pre- 
ceding ages; and by prophecy, anticipate the fu- 
ture : it can converse with an immensity of objects, 
and draw conclusions from each; and yet, this 
amazing soul is no more than a finite being, cir- 
cumscribed in all its pow T ers. How inconceivably 
great and wise must he be, who has limited and pro- 
portioned the powers of man, and in whose sight all 
worlds of beings are as nothing ! 

5. The moral feelings of the human heart pro- 
duce a world of evidence to the same effect. The 
remorse which is felt for sin, and especially for se- 
cret sin, and the pleasing sensations which attend 
the practice of virtue, impress a consciousness on 
the heart, of the existence of an omniscient Judge, 
who frowns on the wicked, and smiles on the good. 

6. The helpless state in w T hich infants are born, 
and in which quadrupeds produce their young, 
demonstrates, that the first beasts, as well as the 
first parents of mankind, were produced in stature 
sufficient to subsist on vegetables and fruits, and 
without the warmth and nourishment of milk. This 
proof of the commencement of our existence, equal- 
ly proves that there must be a God, or a cause of 
our existence, who, in our creation, has deviated 
from the laws of generation. 

7. Reason and observation demonstrate, that the 
earth also was created. Its revolutions are regu- 
lated by fixed periods, and no number of periods can 
be infinite. Nor can it have existed from any very 
remote period, or the rains and floods, which con- 
stantly wash away substances from the mountains, 
would have levelled them with the vallics. The 
same may be observed with regard to the tides 
which warp the marshy grounds ; they must long 



14 INTRODUCTION 

ago have raised them equal to the highest inunda- 
tions. 

Hence every creature manifests the existence of 
the great Creator, who has discovered the perfec- 
tion of wisdom in the formation and harmony of the 
world, and manifested his goodness to every crea- 
ture. May we adore his exalted majesty with an 
enlightened and a humble reverence ! may we 
praise him with a grateful heart ! and imitate him 
m all his works of holiness and truth. 

II. The doctrine, which ranks, in point of im- 
portance, next to the being of God, is, the immor- 
tality of the soul. The intimations which the re- 
ligion of nature affords upon this subject, have been 
strong enough to satisfy the more wise and virtuous 
among the heathens ; and it has scarcely ever been 
doubted by man in a savage state. We shall select 
the arguments which seem the most conclusive. 

1. Matter, however modified, can neither reason, 
perceive, nor will : hence, that being in man which 
is endowed with these powers, must be distinct from 
the body, it can have no principles which tend to 
corruption. 

2. The powers of reason, perception, and voli- 
tion, being independent of sensation, as appears 
from the phenomenon of dreaming, prove in the 
opinion of many, that the soul may exercise all 
• hcsc powers when the senses are dissolved ; and 
consequently, that it is capable of an immortal ex- 
otcnce. 

3. The love of immortality, which all men feel, 
especially good men, attaches a strong probability 
ro the doctrine of a future state : God having form- 
ed the eye for vision, gratifies it with a world of 
sublime and beautiful objects ; and having formed 
this love of immortality the strongest of our propen- 
sities, we have the just est ground of confidence that 
he will also gratify it. If otherwise, this propensi- 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 15 

ty was given us in vain ; because it is distinct from 
the principle of self-preservation. 

4. The inexhaustible resources of knowledge and 
happiness which God hath provided for our enjoy- 
ment, and the continual progress which the soul is 
capable of making in virtue, strongly indicate the 
reality of a future state, and the immortality of the 
soul ; because in this short life we die before wc 
have more than glanced on the works of creation ; 
and those providences which so immediately con- 
concern us, we leave involved in clouds of dark- 
ness, which the wisest mortals are unable to pene- 
trate. 

5. The immortality of the soul is also inferred 
from the moral government of God. In this world, 
the virtuous often suffer from a complication of evils, 
while the wicked arc indulged in affluence and re- 
pose. Little children suffer also both pain and 
death; and it seems highly improbable, that the 
God of infinite felicity should have created these 
amiable beings for the sole purpose of suffering ex- 
quisite misery. That he should have made a differ- 
ence in the distribution of temporal and intellectual 
endowments, is agreeable to reason ; but, that he 
should really afflict the innocent, and prosper the 
guilty, seems, in a moral view, to require a future 
state of rewards and punishments, in which he will 
clear up the obscurity of providence, and discover 
the equity of his ways. 

If this life, therefore, be a probation for that which 
is to come, tf every action be connected with ever- 
lasting happiness or misery, how careful should we 
be to abstain from evil, how vigilant to do good, and 
how emulous to prepare the soul for the ex&ked 
happiness of a future world! — O immortal God. 
hast thou tenanted these perishing habitations with 
a being of such dignity and worth i Let us never 
degrade it by ignoble and sensual pursuits. Deign 



16 INTRODUCTION 

of thy great goodness to guide our steps to thee ? 
the author and end of our existence; that seeking 
our happiness^ not in the transient enjoyments of 
this life, but in loving thee, the source of everlast- 
ing happiness and model of all perfection, we may 
find the consolations of pure religion, the vast re- 
wards of immortality and eternal joy. 

IIL Having considered the being of God, and the 
immortality of the soul, as the basis and permanent 
obligation of piety, we shall proceed to consider 
man as an inhabitant of the natural, the moral, and 
the social world. This shall be done with a view- 
to make some further traces concerning the doc- 
trines, duties and defects of natural religion. 

1. In the natural world, were the happiness of 
man unconnected with real misery, we should regard 
it as very exalted. The sun diffuses his genial 
beams over him by day, and the moon and stars il- 
luminate the night. Summer and winter, seed-time 
and harvest, succeed one another without interrup- 
tion. The earth supplies him with food, and re- 
wards his toil with a liberal increase. His eyes 
have an ample range through the universe, and, 
with the rapidity of his thoughts, compensate for 
the confined situation of his body. His wants are 
all supplied by moderate labor, his pains and sor- 
rows are alleviated by innumerable indulgences, 
and all his powers are gratified by the contempla- 
tion of nature's inexhaustible sources of beauty and 
delight. What has he then to do but to gladden 
his toil with hymns of praise to his Maker, and to 
kindle his soul with the flame of philosophical devo- 
tion ? — But oh ! as the skipping lamb is seized by 
the prowling wolf, so death, inexorable death, rude- 
ly breaks in upon all his comforts, and blasts his 
hopes by a single stroke ! 

2. In the social world, if a man have the happi- 
ness to descend from virtuous parents, and to form 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 17 

virtuous connexions, his comforts are of a very en- 
dearing nature ; though not without such a mixture 
of evils as forbids immoderate sorrow for the loss 
of friends and children. He is caressed in the bo- 
som of his family with the fondest affection, and 
surrounded with the endearing relatives of father — 
mother — brother — sister — tutor and friend. His 
happiness is made the growing object of his parents' 
hope. Surely then he ought to obey their wise and 
just commands, and to reverence and cherish their 
hoary age. In the world at large, he sees some 
providing food, and others raiment, for the public : 
he sees others traversing the seas, and by the im- 
ports and exports of useful and luxurious comforts, 
connecting the whole world as one great empire. — 
In private life, his repose and property are protect- 
ed by equitable laws, and those laws enforced by 
a gradation of magistracy from the prince to the 
people. This view of society should instruct him 
to regard every man as a brother, friend, or patriot. 
It should dispose him to conform to the laws ; obey 
the magistrates ; and honor his sovereign, as the 
most sacred person, in whose happiness is involved 
the happiness of all his subjects. 

3- From this flattering sketch of social life, we 
proceed to the moral world, in which the sad reverse 
of things is generally presented to our view. Those 
virtues which should be the brightest ornaments of 
human nature, are so contaminated with selfishness, 
and the prevalence of deceit or open fraud, that the 
dearest friends and relatives are afraid to trust one 
another. The strong propensities of mankind to 
intemperance and sensual indulgence ; their fond- 
ness of the resorts of vanity, and, we may frequent 
ly add the haunts of infamy, are productive of fatal 
consequonees to personal and domestic happiness. 
Oaths and honor are violated, and characters indel- 
ibly stained m the seduction of unprotected inno- 
l> 2 



lb INTRODUCTION 

cence ; nor can it be said, that a ruined woman has 
any adequate means of redress. Among the great 
nations in which the glory of empire is a prevailing 
principle, trivial infringements of treaties, or viola- 
tions of the laws of commerce, are embraced with 
avidity to occasion destructive wars. Peaceable 
provinces are half depopulated and ruined : and 
seldom does the contest cease till the flower of their 
youth is cut off, and till their resources are ex- 
hausted. O what pride, rage, and revenge, is in 
the heart of man ! O what carnage, what devasta- 
tion, and what impurities, have ensued on the tak- 
ing of great cities ! Such are the dispositions of bad 
men, when, for the moment, their lawless passions 
are without a rein. 

Great God ! are these indeed thy creatures ? Hast 
thou formed them with hearts like these 1 Have 
they learned of thee, whose tender mercies are over 
all thy works, to destroy one another ? Couldst 
thou, who hast blessed all thy creatures, teach them 
to blaspheme? O no! these evils have befallen 
them since their creation. They have shaken off 
the restraints of thy law, set thy judgments at defi- 
ance, and perverted liberty to their own destruc- 
tion. 

IV. Hence it follows-, that there is a distinguish- 
ed difference between good and evil, right and 
wrong, vice and virtue. God having made man to 
live, it must be wrong to kill him, especially while 
young, when he may have the greatest domestic or 
national services to achieve. But the crime is not 
merely an injury to an individual and to society, it 
is an invasion of the Creator's right to dispose of 
his creature. This principle strongly applies to 
belligerent nations : for the causes of war bear no 
proportion to the consequences. And if the fea- 
tures of good and evil be so conspicuous in the 
great actions of society, they may be traced with 



TO CHRISTIANITY, 19 

equal precision in all the economy of private life : 
in honesty and fraud ; in kindness and injury ; in 
truth and falsehood ; in blessing and cursing. Na- 
ture, which is kind and indulgent to all, admonishes 
us to imitate her example ; and if it be virtuous to 
imitate the divine benificence, and to conform the 
heart to his will, it must be vicious to deviate from 
the model of perfect goodness. 

V. We may further remark, that vice is general- 
ly attended with some degree of appropriate pun- 
ishment. Whenever we sin against God, against 
our neighbor, or against ourselves, we must on the 
slightest reflection, be covered with shame, and 
stung with remorse. By wicked and ungenerous 
actions, we forfeit our moral character, and lose the 
esteem of good men. Profligacy is productive of 
wretchedness ; and intemperance will superinduce 
disease. The laws of nature are replete with rec- 
titude and truth ; but we hate the light, being full 
of meanness and misery. Hence, when bad men 
Lave proceeded so far in a course of impiety, as to 
pervert all their powers, and fill up the measure of 
their iniquity, it becomes requisite for the righteous 
God to cut them off, and hide them in the shades of 
death. 

It is granted, that wicked men often live to a 
great age, and retain their vices to the last ; conse- 
quently, that the chastisements of providence are 
very mysterious : yet we can frequently discover a 
striking correspondence between the sins and pun- 
ishments of some men in this life. And though 
these punishments, at most, are but partial, yet we 
may fairly presume from the equity of God, that 
they will be completed in the future state. If the 
soul were wicked when embodied, it is wicked when 
disembodied. Length of time does not diminish 
the magnitude of an offence, and duration of pun- 
ishment does not moralize the hearts of the impeni- 



20 INTRODUCTION 

tent. The aged, on a review of their early vices, 
which have not been followed by the proper fruits 
of repentance, find the same sensations as they 
found when those sins were first committed. Hence, 
if a man's conscience make him unhappy on his 
downy pillow, and in his own neighborhood, it will 
make him unhappy wh«n he removes to another 
country ; yea, when he makes his exit to another 
world. Local changes can neither conceal him from 
his Maker, nor obliterate the recollection of his 
crimes. Consequently, how we may now be saved 
from sin, and ensure a blissful immortality, are our 
grand and indispensible enquiries. The common 
affairs of life are merely trifles when compared with 
these important duties. 

VI. The doctrines of expiation, and virtue, have 
been largely discussed by pagan and skeptical wri- 
ters, through a long succession of ages, and always 
in a way confused and undefined. With regard 
to expiation, some have enjoined penance, ablution, 
and liberality to the poor. But how can the wash- 
ing or mortifying the flesh take away sins which de- 
file the mind? How can liberality to the poor atone 
for crimes committed against our Maker ? or, if it 
could, what is the bulk of mankind to do, who have 
nothing to give ? Some, convinced of the inefficacy 
of these means, have extolled the divine clemency, 
and assured us, that he will forgive the frailties of 
his offending creatures, if we ask him with sincere 
repentance. This is indeed a consoling doctrine, 
and we should cheerfully embrace it, did it not leave 
the divine govepnment insecure, by allowing the 
creatures to offend with impunity. God will never 
exercise his mercy but in harmony with his justice ; 
nor dare we presume upon a system of unqualified 
mercy, because it is contrary to providence, which 
reveals the awful judgments of God, and punishes 
mankind with death. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. c 2{ 

In addition to this system of pure mercy, a sys- 
tem of morality, approaching as near to perfection 
as possible, is also recommended. We are promis- 
ed happiness, provided we moderate our desires 
according to our enjoyments, and our expenses ac- 
cording to our income, exercising benevolence to- 
wards our fellow creatures. But in what book is 
this perfect standard of morals laid down ? The 
master and the servant, the economist and the prod- 
igal, the prince and the people, biased by situa- 
tion, must ever produce systems discordant and in- 
complete. The Socinian, finding his favourite fort 
of pure mercy untenable, at length takes refuge in 
the scheme of philosophical necessity ; which is 
much the same as the pagan doctrine of fate. Yes, 
after some hesitation, he swallows the opiate, 
" Whatever is, is right." Happy way of solving 
difficulties, and exonerating his conscience, by 
charging all his crimes upon his Maker ! ! ! 

VII. On all the preceding subjects, it must be 
confessed, that the religion of nature is extremely 
defective. It demonstrates the existence of sin, 
and the certainty of its punishment, but affords 
no positive assurance of pardon. It affords every 
presumptive proof of a future state, but does not 
say what that state shall be. It demonstrates the 
being and perfections of God, and our obligations 
to worship him, but does not say whether he will 
receive the worship of sinful men. It prescribes a 
system of pure morality, to which the human heart 
is unable to conform. It requires perfect love, and 
perfect obedience to God : and to presume that he 
will accept of imperfect services, is comparing the 
Deity to a tradesman, who asks one price for his 
goods, and takes another. Here human moralists 
have all lost their way ; for they still consider man 
as in his state of original excellence, and they are 
unable to account fcr his present meanness and mis* 



22 INTRODUCTION 

ery. They are all dissatisfied with their own con- 
clusions. They change opinions on the accession 
of every lucid thought ; and follow it with their 
eyes as a meteor, till it leads them to the same un- 
certainty. Things which are impenetrable, they 
account absurd ; or, by rash endeavours to explain 
them, they embrace absurdities which render them 
ridiculous in the estimation of common men. Here 
indeed we want the pitying aid of revelation ; for 
uncertainty on subjects so important, is painful as 
death to a considerate mind. 

Yet we have no cause for apprehension. Des- 
pondency would be a crime. From a general view 
of the goodness of God in caring for the body, we 
may be fully assured, he has not neglected the soul. 
He supplies our temporal wants with a munificence 
worthy of himself; and he cannot have neglected 
the more important and everlasting interests of the 
immortal spirit. 

In the kingdom of nature, he has provided reme- 
dies for most of the diseases incident to the body : 
consequently, he cannot have neglected the more 
inveterate diseases of the heart. What father could 
see his numerous offspring exposed to the ensnare- 
ments and vices of the world, and withhold from 
them the necessary counsel and caution ? How much 
more then must our heavenly father have given a 
plenitude of instruction to those men, whom it hath 
been the peculiar delight of his providence to honor ! 

It may here be asked, and with ardour too, which 
is the book — which is the book ? — The Christian 
world have given an uniform answer — It is the BI- 
BLE, and the BIBLE only, which is the untainted 
repository of these divine instructions. God hath 
so loved the world as to send his Son Jesus Christ 
to be the propitiation for our sins, and reconcile all 
things to himself. He hath inspired his anointed 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 23 

servants, the prophets and apostles, with the know- 
ledge of his will ; and they have transmitted to us, 
in the holy scriptures, the substance of their plena- 
ry instructions, and without the least impairs, which 
affect either their authenticity or their doctrines. 

After a tedious night of error and impiety, in 
which the Heathen world have groped for happi- 
ness, aided by the dim taper of reason only, reve- 
lation breaks forth like the cheering dawn of day, 
and shows us the paths of righteousness and life. — 
It supplies all the defects of natural religion, and is 
in itself complete, beyond the possibility of im- 
provement. Let us hasten, therefore, to the pleas- 
ing scene, to review Christianity in the light of the 
Lord. Let us review it not in a detached and pro- 
miscuous throng, as stones and timbers dispersed in 
a field, but as a glorious temple, admirably arrang- 
ed, and nobly formed by the hand of God. 



SECTION II. 

OF THE CREATION AND FALL OF MAN — OF THE PATRIARCHAL 
DISPENSATION AND OF THE MOSAIC LAW. 

In the beginning God created the elements, which 
compose the heavens and the earth in a chaotic 
state, and his omnipresent spirit actuated the fertile 
mass. 

He said, " Let there be light, and there was 
light ; and he separated the light from the dark- 
ness ; and God saw that the light was good." He 
exhaled the clouds from the waters of the ocean, 
and caused the dry land to appear. Fie clothed 
the earth with all this rich profusion of grass, and 
herbs, and trees, that it might give food to all his 
creatures. He formed the sun, moon and stars ; 
harmonised the spheres, and appointed them for 



24 INTRODUCTION 

signs and seasons, and to rule the days and yean* 
He peopled the waters with fish, the heavens with 
fowl, the herbs with insects, and the hills and vales 
with beasts and cattle. The whole was an amaz- 
ing gradation of society, arranged in perfect har- 
mony and order. " And God saw that it was good.-' 

On the last day of the creation God made man of 
the dust of the earth, and woman of his rib, or part 
of his side. The excellence and dignity of his na- 
ture may be inferred from the Creator s proceeding 
to do it in council. " And God said, let us make 
man in our image, and after our likeness : so in the 
image of God created he him ; male and female 
created he them." From this counsel and sociali- 
ty in the Deity is obviously inferred the doctrine of 
the most holy Trinity, or the one God, made known 
to us in the New Testament by the name of Father, 
Son and Spirit. 

The body of Adam, for so the Lord called him, 
was ennobled above the bodies of brutes, by its del- 
icacy and erect figure ; and by its countenance, 
which probably shone with a visible glory. To 
this body of exquisite beauty, God united a soul, en- 
dowed with angelic perfections, resembling himself 
in knowledge, holiness, and righteousness, or pro- 
pensities to rectitude. The orbs of heaven were 
governed by absolute laws, but man, being a free 
and intelligent creature was governed by a moral 
injunction. God entered into covenant with him, 
in which all his posterity were included. 

I. The happy pair were placed in the garden of 
Eden, that they might dress and keep it, and sub- 
sist on its produce. But when permission was giv- 
en to eat of its fruits, God reserved one tree to 
himself, which Adam was enjoined, on pain of death, 
neither to touch nor taste. It was the Creator's 
prerogative, and the seal of the covenant ; and it 
taught man, that though he was lord of the creation, 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 25 

he was nevertheless a subordinate creature, and in 
a state of probation. This test of integrity, the 
Creator had an undoubted right to impose ; and it 
seems perfectly easy, and suited to the situation of 
man. Surely the difficulty of abstaining from one 
tree could not be great, while he had a whole para- 
dise of the most delicious fruits. Such was the free, 
the high and happy situation of our first parents 
when the tragic day of trial came ; when the prince 
of apostate angels determined to attempt their ruin, 
by seducing them from their allegiance to God. — 
To effectuate this he took possession of the serpent, 
which they knew to be more sagacious than any of 
the beasts, and on that account would respect its 
advice. He assailed the woman in the absence of 
her husband, lest by mutual counsel they should have 
rejected the crime. Speaking in the serpent, he 
asked, whether it were true, that they might eat of 
every tree in the garden ? She not knowing all the 
powers of the serpent, nor that he was actuated by 
an evil angel, answered, " we may eat of every 
tree, except the tree of knowledge of good and evil ; 
of that God hath said, ye shall not eat, neither shall 
ye touch it, lest ye die." He replied, "ye shall 
not surely die ; the prohibition is unreasonable, and 
God has enjoined it to keep you in bondage ; for he 
well knows, that in the day ye eat of it, ye shall be 
as the gods, who fill the thrones of heaven, knowing 
good and evil." To this elating and treasonable 
speech, the woman assented, and seeing the deli- 
cious quality of the fruit, she presumed to pluck 
and eat ; and taking some to her husband, seduced 
him by the same arguments, and by the more 
weighty argument of her own example, and he did 
also eat. Immediately their eyes were opened to 
see the nature of their dreadful crime. They saw 
how they had been duped by believing the serpent 
in preference to God. Ungrateful for their high 
c 



26 INTRODUCTION 

and happy situation, they saw how they had ambi- 
tiously aspired at angelic perfection, violated the 
covenant, and forfeited their innocence. They saw 
also the nakedness and concupiscence of their 
bodies, and fled to hide among the trees of the gar- 
den. This was the first but great offence, and it 
has occasioned every moral and natural evil which 
afflicts mankind. 

Immediately after the fall, God proceeded to con- 
vict and sentence the three offenders to sorrow, toil, 
and death, but he closed the judicial process with 
this grand promise of redemption, — "the seed of 
the woman shall bruise the serpent's head." Fre- 
quent -allusion is made to this in the New Testa- 
ment ; it is applied to Jesus Christ, in whom it re- 
ceives its full completion. See John xvi. 1 1 . Rom. 
xvi. 20. Heb. ii. 14. 1 John iii. 3. Christ was 
here promised to assume the human nature of the 
woman, and to die for our sin, that every man might 
be restored once more to a state of probation, and re- 
gain by faith in him both holiness and heaven. — 
How exceedingly rich was the mercy of God, which 
gave his only begotten Son, and how awful the jus- 
tice, which freely delivered him up for us all ! How 
adorable was that love, and how profound that wis- 
dom, which, taking occasion by the evils of the fall, 
have brought so much glory to himself, and happi- 
ness to man, by restoring him to a better paradise 
than Adam lost. May we all therefore embrace 
this new covenant, founded on better promises than 
the former, and confide in this Mediator, a who is 
able to save to the uttermost all that come to God 
by him, seeing he ever liveth to make interces- 
sion." 

II. From the Lord's clothing our first parents 
with skins, and from Abel's bringing the firstlings 
of his flock, we may presume, that Adam was in- 
structed to approach his Maker by sacrifices for sin ; 



TO CHRISTIANITY, 27 

that is, by burning the body of a perfect animal, 
and sprinkling the blood upon himself, and after- 
wards upon his offending children. These obla- 
tions had an obvious reference to the death of 
Christ ; they shewed the sinner the death he ought 
to die ; and being accompanied with purifications 
and prayer, instructed him in the nature of holiness 
and devotion. 

From the period that God thus entered into cove- 
nant with fallen man, we find the Messiah under the 
appellations of JEHOVAH, of God, or of Angel, 
at the head of the human race. If the patriarchs, 
in the progress of society, needed his miraculous 
aid, he was at hand with his glorious hosts of angels, 
to support and instruct them ; to unfold the secrets 
of his providence, and lo chastise or destroy the 
wicked. He attended the altar of their devotion, 
and often with visible marks of his presence, and 
new tokens of his love. "He was always rejoicing 
in the habitable parts of the earth, and his delights 
were with the sons of men." 

Hence the state of man was very much melior- 
ated by the covenant of grace. His life was attend- 
ed with innumerable comforts, and prolonged to 
great age. He had the promise of redemption, and 
was instructed in the worship and service of his 
Maker. And he was endowed with the aids of grace 
to subdue the corruptions of nature. And though 
he was still far from his former state of innocence, 
he was equally far from the state of fallen angels : 
he might evidently be considered as more than half 
restored, and once mere in a state of probation. 

III. But notwithstanding the numerous advanta- 
ges derived from the new covenant, the deep stain 
of original depravity soon discovered itself in the 
unprovoked murder of Abel ; for Cain could not 
have been instigated to it by precedent or by vicious 
connexions. The same may be observed of the irrita- 



28 INTRODUCTION 

ble tempers of little children ; they can neither have 
imbibed them from habit, nor example. And if they 
were not made sinful by the fall, the just and right- 
eous God would not so frequently punish them with 
pain and death. The human depravity is equally 
discoverable from our backwardness to devotion, 
and our proneness to act against the sober dictates 
of reason and conscience ; from our knowledge of 
virtue so far exceeding our virtuous affections and 
habits ; from the selfish passions which are obvious 
in the commercial intercourse of society ; and lastly, 
from the universal inundation of wickedness which 
has covered the earth. If these be the dreadful 
fruits of our apostacy, how extremely vitiated must 
the root be from which they all proceed ! ! ! May 
God create in us a new heart, and renew a right 
spirit within us. 

Piety, however flourished for several generations 
in the family of Seth. They adhered to the cov- 
enant and worship of God, and were called his sons. 
But by inter-marriages with the daughters of Cain, 
they became totally corrupted. Lamech, the sev- 
enth in Cain's line, introduced polygamy, which 
was followed with an universal profligacy of man- 
ners. They wholly abandoned themselves to vo- 
luptuousness and sensuality. When the sons of 
Elohim, or great men, saw the daughters of the poor, 
that they were fair, they seized them for concubines, 
and debauched them. "And the earth was filled 
with violence. And God saw that the wickedness of 
man was great upon the earth, and that the thoughts 
and imaginations of his heart were only evil contin- 
ually." In vain did Enoch and Noah preach ; in 
vain did the former ascend to heaven, and the latter 
erect an ark. Pleasure alone was idolized, and the 
enthusiasm of the ark became the subject of univer- 
sal laughter. But God honoured the ministry of his 
prophets by the accomplishment of their threaten- 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 29 

ings. Having secured the one righteous family, he 
caused the rains to warn the wicked, and the seas to 
inundate the highest mountains of Asia,* filling their 
cavities with fishes and other marine productions, 
that their petrifactions might attest his awful judg- 
ments in all places, and to the latest ages. So God 
washed away the filthy inhabitants of the earth ; 
and in one way or other, he will destroy all who in- 
dulge in pleasure, and make light of the gospel. 

IV. After the flood, God renewed his covenant 
with Noah and with his three sons, Shem, Ham and 
Japheth. He set his bow in the cloud as a pledge 
of the covenant, that he would no more destroy the 
earth by water. These patriarchs superintended 
their wandering families, and associated in their 
own persons the high offices of prophet, priest, and 
king. They officiated in all religious services, and 
were the sole legislators and instructors in their 
tribes. In this way the knowledge and worship of 
the true God were preserved for six or eight gene- 
rations, and in some of the tribes, we may presume, 
for a much longer period. A specimen of their 
knowledge and piety may be seen in the book of 
Job, and in the character of Melchizedeck and Je- 
thro, who were holy men. 

A remarkable phenomenon happened to Ham, or 
rather to Cush, his eldest son, in (he change of his 
skin from white to black.! We have satisfactory 
evidence of this from his posterity having peopled 
Africa. Egypt, says the psalmist, is the land of 
Cham or Ham. Herodotus says, that Chemmis, 
which derived its name from Cham, was a great 

* If marine petrifactions have not been found higher than 
P000 feet, it is no disparagement of sacred history, as the tops of 
peaks seem to have been washed with an inundation. See 
t)arwiii''s Geological Essays. 

f See a larger account of this in Dr. Jenkin's " Reasona- 
bleness of Christianity," preface, p. 51. 

c 2 



30 INTRODUCTION 

city in Thebais.* Eupolemus affirms, on the cred- 
it of tradition, that Chum was the father of the Ethi- 
opians, and that he was called by the Greeks Asbo- 
las, which is soot or blackness. So Jeremiah : can 
the Ethiopian (the Cushite) change his skin? xiii. 
23. The blacks populated so large a part of Afri- 
ca, that Homer divides them into the eastern and 
western nations. These authorities establish the 
truth of the Mosaic history, that the whole race of 
mankind, however they may differ in colour, has de- 
scended from the patriarch Noah, and in the line of 
his three sons. And when their longevity and 
health are taken into consideration, the vast in- 
crease of their population perfectly accords with 
the sacred chronology. It should also be recollect- 
ed, that we read of little war till the age of the pa- 
triarch Abraham ; for God had prohibited the shed- 
ding of blood on pain of death, because man was 
made in the image of God, Gen. ix. 6. 

The whole world, till the fourth generation from 
Noah, was of one language. And those who dwelt 
on the fertile banks of the Euphrates being unwilling 
to obey the Lord by emigration, began to build a 
tower, and to claim the country for a permanent 
habitation. But he threw it down, and obliged the 
seventy-two tribes to disperse, by confounding their 
language. 

Previously to this period, Satan, the grand adver- 
sary of mankind, found means to corrupt the nations 
by a new species of wickedness ; I would say, by 
confounding the worship of the true God, with the 
worship of those who were not gods. — Joshua 
xxiv. 2. The old world having been destroy- 
ed for want of religion, the new generation went 
:o the opposite extreme : they paid idolatrous hom- 
age to the souls of the patriarchs, whom providence 

*Tliebcs was the capital of this district. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 31 

had so distinguishedly honoured. This gross per- 
version of devotion could originate only from the 
extreme ignorance and wretchedness of the sever- 
al tribes. Having, by a general decay of piety, 
and indulgence in vice, forsaken the covenant and 
worship of God, and being alternately afflicted with 
disease, famine, or war, they had recourse to the 
souls of their ancestors. In a while, they made 
pictures and statues according to their imaginary 
likenesses, and consecrated them to their memo- 
ries. These were their household gods, which they 
preserved with the most religious care. Great 
men were ambitious to officiate at their altars, and 
knowing the absurdity of this devotion better than 
the people, they soon found it their interest to in- 
volve the history of their divinities in mystery and 
fable. At first this gross worship was confined to 
houses and groves, for there the good patriarchs 
were wont to worship the true and living God ; but 
after a while the mysteries were adjourned to mag- 
nificent temples. Thus, "when they knew God by 
revelation and covenant, they glorified him not as 
God, neither were thankful ; and their foolish heart 
was darkened, and they changed the glory of the 
incorruptible God into an image made like unto 
corruptible man, to birds, beasts, and creeping 
things. Therefore God peculiarly gave them up 
to the power of the devil, and to the concupiscence 
of their own hearts," Rom. i. 21. In ihe ages of 
Greek and Roman refinement, the multiplicity of 
divinities bailies all calculation ; the profaneness 
of their mysteries and altars, stews and sports, ex- 
ceeds the credibility of the modern world. Pitia- 
ble indeed, are the efforts of cultivated reason, when 
unassisted by the light of revelation, in the acquisi- 
tion of wisdom and happiness. 

Idolatry must have obtained before the disper- 
sion of the tribes, and before the extremities of the 



32 INTRODUCTION 

earth were colonized, or the American nations, and 
the islanders of the Pacific Ocean, would not have 
been all found immersed in pagan superstition, — 
The variety in their rituals, and in the objects of 
their worship, is no argument against this supposi- 
tion, because the constant accession of new divini- 
ties, through a succession of ages, must have occa- 
sioned an inconceivable diversity in the mythology. 

How America was peopled, and especially how 
wild beasts and serpents came there, long remained 
a doubt. But now it. is generally believed, that Beh- 
ring's Straits which separate it from Asia, must 
have been made by an earthquake. The West In- 
dies, and the Terra Firma, were probably coloniz- 
ed by Phoenicians, either through adventures or 
tempests. Those of Chili and Peru seem to have 
originated from Asia, and the numerous isles of 
the Pacific Ocean. 

When the Spaniards became acquainted with the 
inhabitants of South America, they found them ig- 
norant of their origin : but they had a tradition of 
the flood, and that the whole race of mankind came 
from four women ; that is, from the wife of Noah, 
and the wives of his three sons, which perfectly co- 
incides with the Mosaic history.* 

Our learned and assiduous countrymen in Asia, 
have latterly explored abundance of valuable infor- 
mation in the ancient and modern literature of the 
Indostan empire. By the Asiatic researches of Sir 
John Shore, Sir William Jones, and others : and by 
the Indian antiquities of Mr. Maurice ; we are ena- 
bled to compare the doctrines and religious cus- 
toms of the Druidst in the west, with those of the 

* Universal History, vol. xx. 

f This name, so distinguished in mythology, is derived from 
*Vvs, oak ; for among oaks or groves those ancient ministers of 
religion performed their devotion. See Gen. xiii. 18. xviii. 1. 
where the plain of Mamre is rendered by the Septuagint, the 
oak of Mamre, 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 33 

Brahma, Veeshnu, Seeva, and Buddha of the east, 
and to trace back their origin with considerable sat- 
isfaction to the patriarchal age. Besides, these 
writings further coincide with the Mosaic history 
concerning the peopling of the earth by the sons of 
JNoah. Consequently they supersede the negations 
and childish conjectures of our modern unbelievers. 
Historic evidence will ever claim preference of un- 
founded conjecture. 

V. Having so far illustrated the sacred history, 
we shall next contemplate the Messiah's economy 
in giving an early check to idolatry, by the call of 
Abraham, and by taking the Hebrews to be a peo- 
ple peculiarly his own. It has been observed al- 
ready, that when the whole world, with the exception 
of one family, were corrupted, God saved that fami- 
ly and drowned all the others. On the same prin- 
ciple of justice and mercy, he now preserved the 
posterity of Jacob from the general corruption. - 
Agreeably to this he called Abraham from his fa- 
ther's house in Mesopotamia, who were partially 
corrupted with idolatry, and confirmed to him the 
promise of the seed, Gen. xii. 3. God Jed him to the 
land of Canaan or Palestine, and gave him the whole 
country by promise, because he was determined to 
destroy the inhabitants for their wickedness. During 
his emigration and wanderings, God made him the 
peculiar object of his providential care. He often 
appeared to him, and renewed and enlarged his co- 
venant, and talked with him as with his friend. He 
made him a pattern of faith and piety to his family, 
and to his wicked neighbors, and to the church in 
all the succeeding ages. This covenant was like- 
wise renewed and confirmed with Isaac, and with 
Jacob, and with Judah, who succeeded Reuben in 
the birth right, because he had defiled his father's 
bed, 1 Chron. v. 1, 2. It was lastly confirmed with 
David, to whom God promised to build a sure house; 



34 INTRODUCTION', ' 

and that they should rule over his people for ever, 
Psalm Ixxxix. 

VI. Conformably to this covenant, God increas- 
ed the Hebrews, while oppressed in Egypt, in a ve- 
ry extraordinary manner, and delivered them pre- 
cisely at the time he had promised to Abraham, Gen. 
xv. He divided the sea, and led them into the wil- 
derness, amidst a cloud of miracles. On the fiftieth 
day, his glory covered the top of Blount Sinai, at- 
tended with a cloud, and lightnings, and thunder, 
and earthquake, and his voice distinctly pronounced 
the ten commandments. The people being sancti- 
fied, surrounded the mountain, and bounds were 
set, that neither man nor beast might approach it ; 
which shows, that we cannot approach God by our 
imperfect endeavors to keep those precepts. The 
law is holy, but since the fall we are unholy. It 
was given to display God's moral perfections, and to 
shew the number and magnitude of our offences. — 
Hence, " by the deeds of the law shall no flesh living 
be justified." 

The ceremonial law was a shadow of good things 
to come ; so it is explained in the epistle to the He- 
brews, and in many other places in the New Testa- 
ment. The tabernacle, with all its emblematical 
apparatus, was a portable habitation, made after the 
model which God shewed Moses on the mount, and 
it was figurative of the great body of saints, who are 
sojourning to a better world. The mercy-seat, 
in the most holy place, was a throne of gold, on 
which God dwelt in visible glory, and being sur- 
rounded by the cherubim, represented God sitting 
on his throne of grace in heaven, surrounded by 
angels and saints. The ark of the covenant was 
before him, to shew that he is ever mindful of his 
promises. The candlestick with seven lamps, and 
the bread exposed on the table, were figurative of 
the light and food which the soul receives by ap- 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 35 

proaching God. The holy altar on which incense 
was burned, represented the prayers of the saints, 
Rev. v. 8. The annual atonement of the red heifer, 
which was burnt without the camp, whose blood the 
high priest sprinkled on the vail in the most holy 
place, represented the death of Christ, without the 
gate of Jerusalem, and his entrance into heaven, by 
his own blood, to appear m the presence of God for 
us, Heb. ix. 12, &c. Tne sin-offerings of individu- 
als who had sinned, or made themselves legally un- 
clean, consisted of bulls, sheep, and goats ; of lambs, 
kids, and doves ; and they teach us, that every sin 
has need to be expiated by a fresh application of 
of the blood of Christ. The waters of purification, 
sprinkled on the unclean, and the washings in the la- 
ver, presignified the washing and renewing of the 
Holy Ghost, or that "holiness without which no man 
shall see the Lord." The holy fire, which fell from 
heaven and consumed the first sacrifice, which fire 
was always kept burning by the priests, adumbrat- 
ed the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the love of God 
shed abroad in the hearts of all his saints, Acts ii. 
Rom. v. 5. 

Having touched on the principal parts of the ta- 
bernacle, and branches of its service, we shall next 
speak a word of the Jewish political law. The 
God of Israel, by forming his people into a theocra- 
cy, and giving them peculiar precepts of holiness ; 
by delivering them from Pharaoh, supporting them 
in the wilderness, and giving them the promised 
land, designed to make them a type of his true Is- 
rael, whom he redeems, preserves, and causes to 
pass over the Jordan of death, into the promised 
rest, Heb. iii. 9. God designed also to check idol- 
atry, to shame and reform the apostate nations, by 
showing them the health, peace, and prosperity of a 
nation, who retained the knowledge, and adhered to 
the worship of the true God, as revealed to Noah 



36 INTRODUCTION 

and the patriarchs : and all these blessings would 
have been enjoyed by the Jews, had they kept their 
covenant with God. But by rebelling against the 
Lord, they brought, upon themselves the curses, 
which their law had denounced. He further de- 
signed to strengthen the evidences of our most holy 
retigion, by making the past dispensations a basis 
to the present, that it might be acknowledged by 
all, that Christianity is as old as the creation. He 
designed finally, by these laws, to instruct them in 
the doctrines of a future state. This was particu- 
larly signified by the most holy place. It was 
exemplified by the translation of Enoch, and by the 
peregrinations of the patriarch Abraham, who look- 
ed for a better country ; that is, a habitation in the 
heavens. It is true, the carnal Jews did not under- 
stand the full object of their ritual and political laws ; 
but the faithful saw in them a dawn, at least, of the 
c-ospel glory. Hence we read, that sacrifice was 
offered by faith, Heb. xi. 4 to 17 :— that Abraham 
saw the day of Christ, John viii. 56 :— that Moses 
esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than 
the treasures of Egypt, Heb. xi. 23, 26. 

In addition to these divine emblems, we must add 
a few observations on some of the typical persons. 
Adam is called "the figure of him that was to come," 
Rom. v. 14. In regard to his creation in innocence, 
and his being the father of the human race, there is 
a striking contrast between him and Jesus Christ, 
1 Cor. xv. 22. Isaac, the beloved son of Abraham, 
and his only son by promise, by being voluntarily 
bound, laid on the altar, after having carried the 
wood ; delivered from death, and made the father 
of Israel and Edom, strikingly represented Jesus, 
the only begotten of the Father who was raised from 
the dead, and made the Father of all his saints. — 
Joseph, who was sold by his brethren, persecuted 
for chastity, and elevated from the prison to the 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 37 

right hand of Pharaoh, is, if possible, a yet more 
expressive type of Jesus Christ. What a gracious 
and instructive providence superintended the fami- 
lies in the ancient world ! What displays of good- 
ness, mercy, and justice, are here depicted ! May 
they teach us to confide in the divine care, to abstain 
from the vices which consumed the wicked, and to 
imitate those who had the testimony, that they pleas- 
ed God. 



SECTION IIL 

GRADUAL REVELATION TO THE HOLY PROPHETS CONCERNING 
THE PERSON AND OFFICES OF CHRIST. 

Having considered the history of grace to the es- 
tablishment of the Jewish nation, and the principal 
types and emblems of Christ, we shall now proceed 
Lo some of the more distinguished predictions, which 
respect his person and offices. The study of these 
is of the greatest importance to the support of our 
faith, and the increase of our comfort. They prove, 
ihat Christianity is not a novel invention, but cor- 
rectly founded on the types and rituals of divine in- 
stitution, and on revelations to the holy prophets, 
since the commencement of the world. In the un- 
derstanding and application of these, our Lord in- 
structed his disciples previously to his passion. — 
But he did not complete these instructions till after 
lis resurrection. To two of his disciples, who were 
*oing to Emmaus, he appeared by the way, and ex- 
Dounded to them those scriptures, which speak of 
ii:s sufferings and entrance into glory. Their eyes 
vere holden that, they should not know him, lest 
leing elated with the joy of his resurrection, they 
should have neglected the force of his arguments. 
While attending to the discourse of the supposed 
Granger, the light of truth shone upon their under* 

D 



38 INTRODUCTION 

standing, and the love ©f God enkindled their 
hearts. " They said one to another," after he had 
disappeared, " did not our hearts burn within us 
while he talked with us by the way, and while he 
opened to us the scriptures ?" Luke xxiv. 32. O 
that God would favour us with similar instruction 
and comfort, w T hile we proceed to review the same 
predictions ! 

1. Gen. iii. 14,15. " And the Lord God said 
unto the serpent — I will put enmity between thee 
and the 'woman, and between thy seed and her seed ; 
k shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his 
heel." The seed of the serpent is sin, and all its 
consequences — sorrow, pain, and death. The seed 
of the woman is Christ, who assumed the human 
nature of the virgin Mary, that he might destroy 
the works of the devil. Hence, by bruising his 
head, is meant our Saviour's expiation of sin on 
the cross, his destruction of it in our hearts by re- 
generation, and his abolishing death by a resurrec- 
tion to eternal life, of which his own is the pledge. 
Bruising his heel is figurative of serpents biting the 
heel, and it refers to the successful combination of 
Satan and his children, to crucify the Lord of life 
and glory. By their agency, it pleased the Lord to 
bruise him, and put him to grief, when he made his 
soul an offering for sin, Isa. liii. 10. 

2. Gen. xxii. 16, 18. " By myself have T sworn, 
saith the Lord, because thou hast done this thing, 
and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son ; that 
in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I 
will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and 
as the sand which is on the sea-shore, and thy seed 
shall possess the gate of his enemies ; and in thy 
seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." 
The carnal nation of the Jews were hereby made 
an obvious type of Christ's spiritual Israel, who 
are a great multitude, which no man can number 
The Messiah, who is this seed of Abraham', begi 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 39 

to accomplish this prediction when he vanquished 
the powers of darkness on the cross, and when he 
began to destroy their kingdom and establish his 
own on its ruins ; and he will complete it in the lat- 
ter day's glory, when " all dominions shall serve 
and obey him," Dan. vii. 27. 

3. Gen. xlix. 10. "The sceptre shall not de- 
part from Judah, nor the law-giver from between 
his feet, until Shiloh come ; and unto him shall the 
gathering of the people be," #-c. This prophecy 
marks the regal dignity of the tribe of Judah, and 
its abject situation at the birth of Shiloh, with the 
utmost historic precision. The legislative authori- 
ty really did continue in the house of David, and 
the Asmoncan family, till the time of Herod, who 
slew the infants of Bethlehem. And when Jesus 
was about ten or twelve years of age, Menelaus, 
the son of Herod, was deposed, and Judea govern- 
ed by a pagan proconsul, who deprived the Jews of 
their power of inflicting capital punishment. With 
regard to the gathering of the people to the Shiloh, 
we need only appeal to the early progress of Chris- 
tianity, and to the promises of its universal diffusion. 
u Every knee shall bow to hiai, and every tongue 
confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of 
God the Father." 

4. Deul. xviii. 15. "The Lord thy God will 
raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, 
of thy brethren, like unto me ; unto him shall ye 
hearken," #e. This prediction is applied to Jesus 
by Philip. John i. 45.— -by Peter, Acts iii. 22.— and 
by Stephen, vii. 37. and it peculiarly identifies his 
character. Moses delivered the people from bond- 
age by a cloud of miracles ; he instituted the priest 
hood, and imposed the law with supreme authority , 
he talked with his Maker face to face, and his coun- 
tenance reflected the glory of God/ Jesus alone 
has done the same ; and this prophecy can be re- 
ferred to none but him. 



40 INTRODUCTION 

5. Psalm ii. " Why do the heathen rage, and the 
people imagine a vain thing ? The kings of the 
earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel 
together against the Lord, and against his anointed, 
saying, let us break their bands asunder, and cast 
away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the 
heavens shall laugh ; the Lord shall have them in 
derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his 
wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet 
have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.— 
Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. 
Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine 
inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for 
thy possession." This son cannot be Solomon, for 
he had no war, nor any of David's sons, for their 
kingdom was very small. But it applies to Christ, 
the Son, with peculiar fulness and propriety, and it 
is adduced by St. Paul to prove his godhead, Heb. 
i. 5. The former part of the psalm expresses the 
rage of the Jewish and pagan rulers against Christ, 
and his servants ; and the latter the permanency 
and extent of his kingdom. The psalm closes with 
an address to the princes of the earth, entreating 
them to embrace his mercy, lest his long-suffering 
should turn to anger, and his slighted mercy into 
terrible vengeance. 

6. Psalm xvi. 10, &c. " Thou wilt not leave my 
soul in hell ; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One 
to see corruption." We cannot place this prophe- 
cy in a happier view than St. Peter has placed it 
in the second chapter of the Acts. He proves that 
David could not speak this of himself, because he 
slept with his fathers, and saw corruption ; but be- 
ing actuated by a spirit of prophecy, and knowing 
that God had sworn to raise up of his seed the Mes- 
siah, he spake of Jesus, whom God raised up the 
third day from the dead, and seated at his own right 
hand. 



TO CHRISTIANITY, 41 

?. Psalm xxii. " My God ! my God ! why hast 
thou forsaken me 1 I am a worm and no man ; a re- 
proach of men, and despised of the people. All 
that see me laugh me to scorn, they shoot out the 
lip, they shake the head, saying, he trusted on the 
Lord, that he would deliver him : let him deliver 
him, seeing he delighteth in him. They gape upon, 
me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring 
lion. 1 am poured out like water, and all my bones 
are out of joint. My tongue cleaveth to my jaws : 
and thou hast brought me to the dust of death. For 
dogs have compassed me about, the assembly of 
the wicked have enclosed me ; they have pierced 
my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones : 
they look and stare upon me. They part my gar- 
ments among them, and cast lots for my vesture. — 
But be not thou for from me, O Lord ! O my strength, 
haste thee to help me ! Save me from the lion's 
mouth, for thou hast heard me (extricating me) from 
the horns of the unicorns. I will declare thy name 
unto my brethren ; in the midst of the congregation 
will 1 praise thee/ 5 

The sacred writings no where inform us of Da- 
vid being in this calamitous situation. That the 
psalm is prophetic, is apparent from the latter part, 
where it speaks of the conversion of all nations to 
the worship and kingdom of the Lord. And the 
former part is obviously applied by the evangelists 
to the sufferings of Christ, who prayed in this lan- 
guage in the garden, and on the cross. The Jews, 
like the unruly bulls of Bashan clamoured for his 
blood, and mocked him at his crucifixion in these 
very words, Mat. xxvii. 29. 34. His hands and feet 
were pierced by the nails : and his bones dislocat- 
ed when the cross was jirked into the rock. The 
Roman soldiers parted his raiment, and cast Jots 
for his coat ; and he made himself known to his 
brethren after his resurrection from the dead. The 
i> 2 



42 INTRODUCTION 

piercing of his hands and feet is more remarkabi- 
still ; for in that age no such mode of execution was 
known among the Jews. 

8. Psalm xl. 6, 8. " Sacrifice and offering thou 
didst not desire ; mine ears hast thou opened : 
burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not requir- 
ed. Then said I, lo ! I come ; in the volume of the 
book it is written of me. I delight to do thy will, 
O my God ! yea thy law is within my heart." This 
passage is quoted by St. Paul, Heb. x. 5, 6. to 
prove the insufficiency of the ceremonial sacrifices, 
which were no more than shadows of the oblation 
of the body of Christ, which was offered up on the 
cross once for all. By the one offering of himself 
he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified* 
That is, he hath perfected the atonement which is 
the cause both of our justification and sanctification 
through the good pleasure of God. 

9. Psalm xlv. " My heart is enditing a good mat- 
ter (I speak of things which I have made touching 
the king,) my tongue is as the pen of a ready writer. 
Thou art fairer than the children of men ; grace is 
poured into thy lips ; therefore God hath blessed 
thee for ever. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O 
most Mighty ! with thy glory and thy majesty. And 
in thy majesty ride prosperously, because of truth, 
and meekness, and righteousness : and thy right 
hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows 
are sharp in the hearts of the king's enemies, when 
the people fall under thee. Thy throne, O God, is 
for ever and ever ! the sceptre of thy kingdom is a 
right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness and ha- 
tcst wickedness; therefore God, thy God, hath 
anointed thee with gladness above thy fellows." — 
Transporting were the views which the prophet 
here had of the majesty and grace of Christ ; the 
subjugation or destruction of his foes, and the glory 
of his immoveable throne. This psalm cannot be 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 43 

i estticted to Solomon, because the epithet, " O 
God !'' is quite too strong ; and he had no war. — 
But when applied to Christ, it is correctly true. Be- 
sides, the remaining verses speak of the church as 
his bride ; and add, that he should make his " chil- 
dren princes in all the earth. " Now we do not 
read that Solomon had more than one son who wore 
a diadem ; and his reign, by adhering to rash and 
inexperienced counsellors was very inauspicious ; 
nor do we read that any of this family ever reigned 
out of Judea. 

1 0. Psalm lxviii. 17,18. " The chariots of God 
are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels : the 
Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the holy 
place. Thou hast ascended on high ; thou hast led 
captivity captive ; thou hast received gifts for men ; 
yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God 
might dwell among them." From the Lord's as- 
cension in the cloud from Mount Sinai, the prophet 
is inspired to contemplate his ascension from Mount 
Olivet ; his triumph over sin, and Satan, and death ; 
and the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, which 
he communicated to the rebellious Jews and Gen- 
tiles on their conversion to God. So St. Paul has 
applied this prophecy, Ephesians iv. 8. 

1 1 . The whole of the sixty-ninth psalm is pro- 
phetic. From the first to the twenty-second verse, 
we have a striking description of the innocence and 
sufferings of Christ. It is too long for insertion 
here, we shall therefore select those expressions on 
which the greatest emphasis ought to be placed. — 
" I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing ; 
I am come into the waters where the Hoods over- 
flow me. They that hate me without a cause 
are more than the hairs of mine head ; they that 
would destroy me (being mine enemies wrongfully) 
are mighty. I am become a stranger unto my breth- 
ren, and an alien unto my mother's children. They 



44 INTRODUCTION 

that sit in the gate speak against, me, and I was the 
song of the drunkards. I looked for some to take 
pity, but there was none : and for comforters, but I 
found none. They gave me also gall for my meat, 
and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. For 
thy sake I have borne reproach : shame hath cover- 
ed my face. The zeal of thine house hath eaten me 
up ; and the reproaches of them that reproached 
thee have fallen on me." This is obviously an ap- 
peal of suffering innocence to the bar of a right- 
eous God. Hence the fifth verse cannot be a con- 
fession of folly and sin as it stands in the text, but 
should be paraphrased thus: " O God, thou knowest 
whether the accusations of folly be true, or wheth- 
er I be guilty of the crimes alleged to my charge." 
Most of the preceding passages are applied to Christ 
in the New Testament, John ii. 17. xv. 2o. xix. 
29. Rom. xv. 3. 

Ver. 22 — 28. "Let their table become a snare 
before them," &c. This is a prophecy of the des- 
truction which should overtake the enemies of Christ. 
And their table remarkably became a snare to them, 
when they were gathered to the paschal feast, in 
the seventieth year of our Lord, and instigated to 
rebel against the Romans. The three last verses 
seem to predict the re-establishment of the Jews 
in the latter day's glory to the church. 

12. The seventy-second psalm is a prediction 
of the glory and extent of the Messiah's kingdom. 
It may, indeed, be applied to Solomon, who was a 
type of Christ ; but if restricted to him, the lan- 
guage is highly improper. This will appear by- 
citing a few verses : ;i He shall come down like rain 
upon the mown grass ; as showers that water the 
earth. He shall have dominion also from sea to 
sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. 
Yea, all kings shall fall down before him ; all na- 
tions shall serve him. His name shall endure for 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 45 

ever ; bis name shall continue as long as the sun : 
and men shall be blessed in him ; all nations shall 
call him blessed." So it shall be in the Messiah's 
kingdom, when u the knowledge of the Lord shall 
cover the earth, as waters the sea. 1 ' 

13. Psalm xcv. 7, 11. " To-day if ye will hear 
his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the day of 
provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the 
wilderness ; when your fathers tempted me, proved 
me, and saw my work. Forty years long was 1 
grieved with this generation, and said, it is a people 
that do err in their hearts, and they have not known 
my ways. Unto whom I sware in my wrath, that 
they should not enter into my rest." This prophe- 
cy is copiously illustrated and applied by Saint 
Paul to the gospel dispensation, Heb. iii. 7, 8. iv. 
&c. The day, has a plain reference to the day of 
Christ, Isa. xii. 1. Jer. xxiii. 6. Zech. xiii. 1. The 
voice, is God's address to us in the Christian min- 
istry. John, who opened the commission, says, 
" I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness," 
&c. The forty years, correctly apply to the forty 
years patience of God, with the hardened Jews, un- 
der the gospel dispensation, before he destroyed 
their sanctuary, and dispersed their nation. The 
rest is heaven, including purity of heart, as the pre- 
vious qualification for it. God grant that we may 
not exclude ourselves by hardness and unbelief ! 

14s Psalm ex. " The Lord said unto my Lord, 
sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies 
thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy 
strength out of Zion : rule thou in the midst of thine 
adversaries. Thy people shall be willing in the 
day of thy power, (armies or dominion*) in the 
beauty of holiness from the womb of the morning : 

* So Bishop Reynolds, Dr. Hammond, ami Dr. Wall trans* 
late it. 



•16 INTRODUCTION 

thou hast the dew of thy youth. The Lord hath 
sworn, and will not repent. Thou art a priest for 
ever after the order of Melchisedeck. The Lord 
at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the 
day of his wrath. He shall judge among the hea- 
then ; he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; 
he shall wound the heads over many countries. — 
He shall drink of the brook by the way ; therefore 
shall he lift up his head." The ancient Rabbins 
applied this psalm to the Messiah, and with so much 
propriety, that the modern Jews cannot evade the 
application, but by the absurd idea, that it was com- 
posed by Abraham's servant in honor of his master. 
But this is perverting the title — " A psalm of Da- 
vid." Besides, the language is altogether too 
strong to admit of such an interpretation. He nev- 
er judged the heathen nations, or made war, except 
to rescue Lot* The whole is a beautiful and strik- 
ing prediction of the regal and priestly offices of 
Christ, who according to the whole train of proph- 
ecy, will either convert or destroy the nations.* — 
The last verse is probably expressive of his passion. 
After having drank the bitter cup, he raised his head 
from the tomb. 

J 5. Psalm cxviii. 1 9, 24. " Open to me the gates 
of righteousness; I will go into them ; and i will 
praise the Lord. This is the gate into which the 
righteous shall enter. The stone which the build- 
ers rejected is become the headstone of the corner. 
This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our 
eyes. This is the day that the Lord hath made ; 
we will rejoice and be glad." These are the gates 
of righteousness and sanciincation, which the Lord 
hath opened to a sinful world, and no man can shut 
them. Penitent sinners may now enter his spiritu- 
al sanctuary, and serve him in holiness and right- 

* See Section viii. Article x. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 47 

eous-ness of life. The Scribes and Pharisees were 
the builders of the Jewish Church, and they reject- 
ed the humble Messiah ; but God made him the 
chief corner-stone, when he raised him from the 
dead, and constituted him head over all things to 
ihe church, which is his body, and the fulness of 
him that filled all in all. 

16. Jn the book of psalms, many prophecies are 
found respecting the conversion of the Gentiles to 
the Messiah, and the destruction of his enemies ; 
most of which have been omitted, because of the 
frequency of their recurrence. There is but one 
prediction more which shall be considered. It is a 
very distinguished promise concerning the estab- 
lishment of the house of David on the throne of Is- 
rael for ever. The reader is requested to consult 
at large Psalm lxxxix. exxxii. 2 Sam. vii. Ezek. 
xxxiv. where the Lord covenants with David to 
build him a sure house, and cause his family to reign 
before him as long as the sun, the moon, and the 
heavens shall endure. He remarkably adds, that 
if his children should offend, he would visit their 
iniquities with the stripes of sickness, war, and 
death; but not so as to exterminate, the royal line. 
This covenant, God faithfully kept ; in view for a 
thousand years, and through the most afflictive vi- 
cissitudes of national disaster, until he had fully ac- 
complished it in the birth of Jesus, who sitteth upon 
the throne of his father David forever, Luke i. 33. 
On the death of Ahaziah, Athaliah his mother seiz- 
ed the government, and put to death all the seed- 
royal, except Joash, an infant, who was concealed 
in the temple, 2 Chron. xxii. And even after a 
long captivity of the whole nation, God brought 
back the royal family, (frequently called by Jose- 
phus, the Asmonajan family,) to be princes and 
governors in Judca under both the Grecian and Ro- 
man monarchies. This instance of God's faithful- 



48 INTRODUCTION 

ness, which forms so distinguished a feature in the 
sacred and Jewish history, affords the most solid 
consolation to sincere believers ; for so will the 
Lord fulfil all his promises. But affords no licen- 
tious hope to actual backsliders, and apostates, 
that their sins shall be visited merely with bodily 
stripes. Ahaziah, and Amon, and Jehoahaz, kings 
of Judea, and many of the princes, were, so far as 
we can judge, cut off in their sins. 

17. Entering now on the book of Isaiah, we find 
him abound with luminous and elegant predictions; 
but shall restrict ourselves to those which immedi- 
ately respect the person of Christ. Chapter the 
seventh, we have an explicit prediction of his mys- 
terious incarnation. Resin, king of Syria, and Pe- 
kah, king of Israel, combined to subvert the throne 
of David, and they entered Judea with formidable 
armies. Ahaz king of Judah, and his army, were 
greatly alarmed ; but in the moment of danger, God 
sent Isaiah, with his infant son Shear-Jashub, to 
promise them victory, and to renew the promise of 
the Messiah. As a pledge of its certainty, he bade 
the king ask a sign. But Ahaz said, "I will not 
ask a sign, neither will I tempt the Lord." Then 
said Isaiah, ver. 14. 15. u The Lord himself shall 
give you a sign : Behold, a virgin shall conceive, 
and bear a son, and (she) shall call his name Im- 
manuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he 
may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.' 5 
He then denounced the punishment of death on the 
two invaders, which he assured Ahaz should take 
place before his son Shear-Jashub should know how 
to choose good and refuse evil. 

18. Similar to the above, is the prediction we 
have, chapter the ninth, concerning the birth, char- 
acters and government of Christ, " Unto us a child 
is born, unto us a son is given, and the government 
shall be upon his shoulder *, and his name shall be 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 49 

called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the 
everlasting Father, the Prince of peace. Of the in- 
crease of his government and peace there shall be 
no end, upon the throne of David and his kingdom, 
to order it and establish it with judgment and jus- 
tice, from henceforth, and forever ; the zeal of the 
Lord of hosts will perform this." The language of 
the prophecy is so plain and appropriate, as to su- 
persede the necessity of explication. 

19. Isa. xxviii. 16. " Thus saith the Lord God, 
behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone — a 
tried stone — a precious corner-stone — a sure foun- 
dation; he that believeth shall not make haste," 
or be confounded. " Judgment also will I lay to 
the line, and righteousness to the plummet, and the 
hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the 
waters overflow the hiding place." These words 
are addressed to the haughty rulers of Jerusalem, 
who ridiculed the judgments of God, and confided 
in a refuge of lies. The prophet assures them, that 
God will build a safer sanctuary or refuge, of which 
Christ is the foundation stone ; that the hail, or vis- 
itations of God, shall destroy every other refuge ; 
that those who take refuge by faith in the sacred 
mansion, shall be secure in the day of adversity. 
Our Lord alluded to this, when he said to Peter, 
" thou art Cephas," which signifies a stone, "upon 
this rock," so often mentioned by the prophets, " I 
will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not 
prevail against it," Matt. xvi. 18. 

20. The whole of the forty-ninth chapter is pre- 
dictive of the unsuccessful preaching of Christ to 
the Jews, and of the extensive success his gospel 
should have among the Gentiles. " Listen, O Isles, 
unto me, and hearken ye people from afar. The. 
Lord hath called me from the womb, from the bow- 
els of my mother hath he made mention of my 
name. Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have 



k SO INTRODUCTION 

spent my strength for nought, and in vain : yet sure- 
ly my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with 
my God. And now, saith the Lord that formed me 
from the womb, to be his servant, to bring Jacob 
again to him, though Israel be not gathered, yet 
shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my 
God shall be my strength. And he said it is a light 
thing that thou shouldest be ray servant to raise up 
the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of 
Israel : I will also give thee for a light to the Gen- 
tiles, that thou mayest be salvation to the ends of 
the earth." We have but to read the gospels, to 
acknowledge , the correct accomplishment of this 
prophecy. We are told that the Messiah should be 
glorious in the eyes of the Lord, notwithstanding 
his unsuccessful mission to the Jews ; that he should 
succeed among the Gentiles ; and that he should 
in the issue restore the preserved of Israel, who are 
now dispersed among the nations. 

21. We shall take leave of Isaiah, by a view of 
the birth, sufferings, and glory of Christ, as predict- 
ed in the fifty-third chapter. " He shall grow up 
before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of 
dry ground ; and when we see him there is no beaur 
ty (hat we should desire him" A plain indication, 
that the house of David should be in an abject, situ- 
ation at the birth of Christ ; and destitute of pala- 
ces, revenues, and armies, which are so desirable 
to worldly courtiers. 

" He is despised and rejected of men, a man of 
sorrows and acquainted with grief; and we hid, as 
it were, our faces from him; he was despised, and 
we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our 
griefs, and carried our sorrows : yet did we esteem 
. him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he 
was wounded for our transgressions, he .was bruis- 
ed for our iniquities, and the chastisement of our 
peace was upon him ; and by his stripes we are 



' TO CHRISTIANITY* 51 

healed. All we, like sheep, have gone astray : we 
have turned every one to his own way ; and the 
Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was 
oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not 
his mouth ; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, 
and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so he 
opened not his mouth. And he made his grave 
with the wicked, and with (he rich in his death. — 
Because he had done no violence neither was de- 
ceit found in his mouth ; yet it pleased the Lord to 
bruise him : he hath put him to grief. When thou 
shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see 
his seed ; he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure 
of the Lord shall prosper in his hand," &c. What 
a portrait of suffering innocence ! Innocence silent 
when accused, and passive when punished, because 
we were guilty. How correct and striking is the 
application of all these expressions to the situation 
and sufferings of the Son of God ? On the other hand, 
how perverse are the unbelieving Jews to annlv 
this prophecy to Josiah ; for though it be true/that 
he was wounded with an arrow, yet he was not 
born in obscurity ; he was never unpopular and ar- 
raigned at the bar of justice. And the last verse 
can in no sense be applied to him, nor indeed to 
any one but Christ, who was raised from the dead, 
spoiled of his enemies, and saw the prosperity of 
the church. " Therefore will I divide him a portion 
with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with 
the strong ; because he poured out his soul unto 
death." 

2Z. The predictions of Daniel are obviously con- 
nected with those of our Lord and St. Paul ; and 
peculiarly so with those in the book of Revelation. 
The Assyrian, the-Pcrsian, the Grecian, and the Pto- 
man monarchies, are represented by four beast<, 
which successively vanquished one another. Then 
he* speaks of a fifth monarchy, represented by a 



52 INTRODUCTION 

stone cut out of the mountain without hands, (and 
we have noticed already, that Christ is that stone) 
which brake in pieces the other kingdoms, and be- 
came great and filled the earth. See chap. vii. 

23. Dan. ix. 24, &c. " G Daniel !" said Ga- 
briel, "seventy weeks are determined upon thy 
people, and upon thy holy city, to finish transgress- 
ion— -to make an end of sins — and to make recon- 
ciliation for iniquity — and to bring in everlasting- 
righteousness — and to seal up the vision of prophe- 
cy — and to anoint the most Holy. Know, therefore, 
and understand, that from the going forth of the 
commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto 
the Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and 
three-score and two weeks ; the street shall be built 
again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And 
after three score and two weeks shall Messiah be 
cut off, but not for himself: and the people of ihe 
prince that shall come, shall destroy the city, and 
the sanctuary ; and the end thereof shall be with a 
flood, and unto the end of the war desolatior.3 are 
determined. And he shall confirm the covenant 
with many for one week ; and in the midst of the 
week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation 
to cease, for the overspreading of abominations, he 
shall make it desolate, even until the consumma- 
tion, and that determined shall be poured upon the 
desolate." 

This is one of the most distinguished predictions 
in the Old Testament ; and having the clearest his- 
toric evidence of its accomplishment, it equally de- 
monstrates the truth of prophecy, and of the Chris- 
tian religion. At the expiration of seventy yeats 
from the commencement of the captivity of the Is- 
raelites, God was pleased to deliver them ; and by 
the same number of weeks to fix the time when he 
would effectuate a much greater deliverance, even 
our redemption from sin by the oblation of Christ. 



TO CHRISTIANITY, 53 

But the seventy weeks in prophetic language are 
considered as seventy times seven years. These 
were to be calculated from the going forth of the 
commandment to rebuild the city and sanctuary of 
Jerusalem : not indeed the commandment in the first 
year of Cyrus, but the edict of Artaxerxes ; other- 
wise, the four hundred and ninety years would not 
reach to the crucifixion of Christ. Whatever diffi- 
culty may occur in the chronological adjustment of 
these weeks, many of the pious Jews in our Sav- 
iour's time really understood them to be accomplish- 
ed, "and looked for redemption in Israel," Luke 
ii. 33. Acts. ii. 5. Exclusively of this difficulty, 
the group of occurrences here predicted needs but 
little explication. 1. The Messiah was really to 
be cut off, though guiltless. 2. He was to finish 
transgression ; that is, to expiate sin by the sacrifice"* 
of himself. 3. He was to make reconciliation for 
iniquity ; and he has made peace by the blood of 
the cross. 4. He was to bring in everlasting right* 
eousness ; and he has made a sin-offering for us, 
that we might be made the righteousness of God in 
him. 5. He was to seal up the vision of prophecy; 
this he has done by accomplishing whatever was 
predicted of himself, and by the introduction of a 
happier dispensation. 6. He was to anoint the 
most holy ; that is, the church, which he has anoint- 
ed with the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit. — 
7. It is said, " He shall confirm the covenant with 
many ;" and he does confirm it with all who believe 
by giving them a new heart, by making them his 
sons and daughters, and by remembering their sins 
no more. 8. The Messiah was to be cut off previ- 
ously to the destruction of the city and sanctuary 5 
these being both destroyed soon after his passion, 
demonstrate, in the unconstrained language of pro- 
phecy, that he was the Messiah. 9. The sanctuary 
was to be made desolate, even until the determin- 
E 2 



54 INTRODUCTION 

ed consummation ; this is a luminous fact, the sa 
tuary is still a desolation ; and when Julian, the 
apostate Emperor, encouraged the Jews to rebuijd 
it, eruptions of fire caused the workmen to desist.— 
Vide Socra. Hist. Eccle. Lib. iii. cap. xx. 

24. Joel ii. 28, 31. " And it shall come to pass 
afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all 
llesh, and your sons and your daughters shall pro- 
phecy, your old men shall dream dreams, your 
young men shall see visions, : and upon the ser- 
vants and upon the handmaids in those days, will f 
pour out my spirit. And I will show wonders in the 
heavens, and in the earth blood and fire, and pillars 
of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, 
and the moon into blood, before the great and ter- 
rible day of the Lord come." This prophecy cor- 
responds with another in Isaiah, xliv. 15. and it is 
applied emphatically by St. Peter to the effusion of 
the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, Acts ii. nor is 
there any other period to which it can be applied. 
Formerly, the gifts of the Spirit had been restrict- 
ed to prophets and elders, but under the Christian 
dispensation, the gift is predicted as general, to 
Jews, proselytes, and Gentiles, of every nation. — 
It is further announced, that the age should be char- 
acterized by persecution, and the greatest national 
disasters or vengeance of God upon the wicked, 
which we apprehend to be implied by the blood, 
vapor and smoke. 

25. Hag. ii. 6, 9. " Thus saith the Lord of Hosts ; 
yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the 
heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry 
land : and I will shake all nations, and the desire 
of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house 
with my glory, saith the Lord of Hosts. The silver 
is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of 
Hosts. And the glory of this latter house shall be 
greater than the former, saith the Lord of Hosts, 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 03 

and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord 
of Hosts." Wken the aged Jews saw the plain- 
ness and diminutive structure of the second temple 
compared with the first, they wept. Then the 
Lord sent Haggai to comfort them with this predic- 
tion. The second temple was inferior also to the 
former in regard to its mystical glory. The Ark of 
the Covenant, the Tables of the Law, the Manna, 
the Urim and Thummim, the Holy Fire which fell 
from heaven, and above all, the Divine glory on the 
Mercy-Seat, were wanting. It received, however, 
a far superior glory, when the Lord of Life and 
Glory entered and exercised his ministry there ; and 
when he put the seal of truth on its mystical servi- 
ces by the oblation of his body, and by becoming 
the end of the law for righteousness to those who 
believe. The transient glory of the law was then 
lost in the unfading glory of Christ. The shaking 
of all nations coincides with all the other scriptures, 
which speak of his removing all the obstructions to 
the spread of the gospel, by the conversion and de- 
struction of unbelievers : then will the Lord give 
permanent peace to Zion. 

Many more prophecies remain, but the expli- 
cations already given will throw sufficient light up- 
on them. Hence we shall only name some of the 
most distinguished. Micah predicted Bethlehem as 
the place of our Saviour's birth, and his prosperous 
reign as insuring the peace of the land, v. 1, 5. — 
Zechariah saw his priesthood and kingdom in the 
figure of a flourishing branch, vi. 12, 13. He saw 
the inexpressible joy of the disciples, when Jesus 
rode into Jerusalem, ix. 10. He saw him betrayed 
for thirty pieces of silver, and the purchase of a 
field with the money, xi. 12, 13. He saw also the 
pierced side of the Messiah ; the fountain opened 
for sin and for uncleanness; the shepherd smitten, 
and the sheep scattered, xiii. 1, 7. Malachi, the 



66 INTRODUCTION 

latest of the Jewish prophets, in the canonical scrip- 
tures, predicted, in unison with the former prophets, 
the conversion of the Gentile nations from the rising 
to the going down of the sun, i. 1 1. He distinctly 
predicted the ministry of John as preparatory to the 
ministry of Jesus, whom he calls Jehovah, and the 
messenger of the covenant, iii. 1. And he adds, to 
cheer the persecuted church, that the Sun of Right- 
eousness should arise upon them with healing in his 
wings, iv. 3. Thus all the holy prophets unite 
their testimony concerning his sufferings and glory~ 
and with increasing evidence, until the baptist could 
say, " Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away 
the sin of the world." 

It shall be the subject of the two subsequent sec- 
tions, to show more distinctly the completion of 
these prophecies, and the mystical significance of 
the Jewish law in the life of Christ, and in the first 
and general spread of the gospel. 



SECTION IV. 

OF THE INCARNATION — THE MINISTRY — THE DEATH — AND AS- 
CENSION OF OUR BLESSED LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. 

Adam having violated the first covenant, and in- 
volved his whole posterity in ruin, it pleased God 
to invest the new covenant in surer hands by incar- 
nating his beloved son, that he might perfect our re- 
demption by sustaining our punishment, and van- 
quish our foes by the power of righteousness. The 
law had been dishonored by transgression, and it 
became Jesus to fulfil all righteousness. The holy 
patriarchs and prophets had carried many virtues 
to admirable perfection, but they were all tainted 
with sin; hence we wanted a model of the divine 
rectitude, that we might be followers of God as dear 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 57 

children. The ancient institution of sacrificing 
clean beasts, instructed mankind, that God would 
not be approached without the shedding of blood; 
it was requisite that Christ should have a spotless 
human body, that he might expiate our sin, and 
vanquish death by the sacrifice of himself. Satan 
having seduced and'depraved our first parents, had 
reigned as a prince over their apostate and sensual 
offspring : on this account, it was requisite to van- 
quish his temptations, and sustain the punishment 
due to our sins, that the crown and sovereignty might 
lawfully revert to the Son of God. The dark and 
depraved race wanted a glorious head and chief, 
replele with wisdom and grace ; they wanted a 
prince allied to them by consanguinity and covenant, 
that they might approach him with confidence, and 
rely on him with assurance for salvation and eternal 
life. To accomplish all these gracious purposes of 
the divine wisdom and love, the brightness of the 
Father's glory, and the express image of his person, 
veiled his godhead in human nature, and manifested 
himself to the world. 

The time, the manner, and circumstances of our 
Saviour's nativity, highly accord with his offices 
and character. The Romans had extended their 
empire from Britain in the west, to Persia in the 
cast; and proudly enjoyed their conquests in perfect 
repose. The Jews had many proselytes to their re- 
ligion almost in every city, and the Greek and Latin 
languages were in considerable use throughout the 
world. On these accounts, this was the most favor- 
able era which had occurred in history for the prop- 
agation of pure religion. 

in this age of imperial peace, the angel Gabriel 
was sent to Mary, a virgin espoused to Joseph, for 
God would honor the marriage covenant ; and both 
were of the house and lineage of David. " Hail," 
said he, " thou that art highly favoured, the Lord i - 






58 INTRODUCTION 

with thee: blessed art thou among women. And 
when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, 
and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this 
should be. And the angel said unto her, fear not, 
Mary; for thou hast found favor with God. And, 
behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring 
forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall 
be great; and shall be called the Son of the High- 
est ; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne 
of his father David ; and he shall reign over the 
house of Jacob for ever ; and of his kingdom there 
shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, 
how shall this be, seeing I know not a man ? And 
the ahgel answered, and said unto her, the Holy 
Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the 
Highest shall overshadow thee ; therefore also that 
holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be call- 
ed the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Eliza- 
beth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age ; 
and this is the sixth month with her who was called 
barren. And Mary said, behold the handmaid of 
the Lord ; be it unto me according to thy word." 

This is the simple but sublime account of our Sa- 
viour's incarnation. He took not upon him the na- 
ture of angels, but the seed of Abraham, uniting in 
his adorable person all the incommunicable attri- 
butes of JEHOVAH, and all the infirmities of our 
frail humanity. But though he was made in the 
likeness of sinful flesh, he was perfectly free from 
the Adamic corruption, his human substance being 
sanctified by the Holy Ghost. 

St. Paul, in the whole of the first chapter to the 
Hebrews, demonstrates his character and offices to 
be appropriate to the Deity only : and that he is in 
every view incomparably superior to prophets and 
angels. " God, 1 ' says he, u who at sundry times, 
and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the 
fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spo- 



V 
TO CHRISTIANITY. 59 

ken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed 
heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds ; 
who, being the brightness of his glory, and the ex- 
press image of his person, and upholding all things 
by the word of his power, when he had by himself 
purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the 
Majesty on high ; being made so much better than 
the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a 
more excellent name than they. For unto which of 
the angels said he at any time, thou art my son, this 
day have I begotten thee ? And again, I will be to 
him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son ? And 
again, when he bringeth his first-begotten into the 
world, he saith; and let all the angels of God wor- 
ship him." 

Similar to this is St. John's account of the divine 
and human nature of Christ. " In the beginning 
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and 
the Word was God. The same was in the begin- 
ing with God. All things were made by him, and 
without him was not any thing made that was made. 
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 
And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, 
and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only 
begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. w — 
The terms Son, begotten, and God, here applied to 
Christ, are indeed applicable to creatures ; but we 
are here taught, that they are not applicable to 
Jesus Christ, either as angel or prophet ; being the 
Creator of men and of all angelic worlds, he is enti- 
tled to the adoration of all his creatures. Hence, 
" to day have I begotten thee," does not mean that 
Christ was then produced ;butthat God in our gospel- 
day announced him to be his beloved Son. These 
are the early opinions respecting Christ, which, by 
the grace of God, we hope to cherish, till we see 
him as he is T 



60 INTRODUCTION 

I. The incarnation of our Lord was attended with 
such a series of sacred prodigies, as indicated him 
to be the character expected by pious men in all 
nations. His birth was announced to a few poor 
shepherds in the vicinity of Bethlehem, by a mission 
of angels ; and to those who waited for redemption 
in Israel, by the predictions of Simeon and Anna, 
it was announced to the Magi of Babylon by the 
phenomenon of a star, and by a delegation of the 
Magi to the king and rulers of Judea : and that their 
testimony was believed, is apparent from the slaugh- 
ter of the infants in Bethlehem. 

II. His entrance on the ministry was marked with 
every qualification proper to demonstrate the divin- 
ity of his mission. John was sent to prepare the 
way, and institute the baptism of water for the remis- 
sion of sin. This extraordinary man, having been 
tutored in the wilderness, led an austere and morti- 
fied life ; and having his mission immediately from 
God, he discovered an air of courage and sanctity, 
which perfectly astonished the multitude of his audi- 
tors. His unction, popularity, and success, exceed- 
ed every thing the Jewish nation had attested since 
the days of Elijah, He laid a good foundation, and 
th-en referred his disciples to his adorable master, 
who should raise and complete the superstructure 
of his holy temple. 

III. No sooner was John imprisoned, than Jesus 
succeeded him ; and the opening ef his ministry 
was as the radiance of the morning, and all his gra- 
cious words as the application of balm to the wound- 
ed conscience. He corrected the gross and ab- 
surd interpretations of the law with sovereign au- 
thority, and instructed the multitudes in the perfec- 
tion of every virtue. He taught them to forgive 
injuries whenever solicited ; to overcome evil with 
good ; to love one another, to subdue every inordi- 
nate passion, to vanquish the love of this world, and 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 61 

to lay up for themselves treasure in heaven. These 
are the only doctrines capable of restoring peace 
to a dissipated mind, and concord to a disordered 
world. 

IV. In disclosing the nature and happiness of his 
heavenly kingdom, he condescended to human 
weakness, and communicated the sublimest wisdom 
in the utmost simplicity of language. By the inno- 
cence and artless conversation of children, and by 
the secret fermentation of leaven, he illustrated the 
nature and progress of regeneration. By the fruit- 
fulness of fields and vines, he showed what his dis- 
ciples ought to be in works of piety and works of 
mercy. By Lot's wife, the prodigal son, and the 
inconsiderate architect, he exemplified the sin and 
danger ofapostacy. By the separation of the tares 
from the wheat, the sheep from the goats, and the 
wise from the foolish virgins, he announced the final 
separation of the righteous from the wicked. By a 
nobleman's return to his country and calling his ser- 
vants to an account, he strikingly illustrated the 
manner of his second coming, and the rewards and 
punishments which await the world. In a word, by 
a princely banquet, by fountains and rivers of water, 
and by the joy of a family on a master's return, he 
disclosed the happiness and pleasures of the life to 
come. Thus, by objects and customs well known 
to the people, he communicated celestial doctrines, 
which they did not know. There is more propriety 
in this kind of instruction, because the objects being 
familiar, we are ever reminded of what we should 
never forget. Thus, although our Saviour could not 
directly avail himself, like the apostles, of arguments 
drawn from his death and resurrection, yet he admi- 
rably docs in figurative language. 

If the parables of Jesus be compared with the pa- 
gan fables, we arc presented with a striking view of 
the advantages which revelation has over human 



62 INTRODUCTION 

reason. The fables certainly lay open the nature 
of vice and virtue, in a plain and instructive manner; 
but they fail in prescribing the proper remedies. — 
Sometimes they recommend us to conquer vice by 
courage, prudence, or policy ; and sometimes they 
applaud revenge. Jesus not only exposed vice in 
a proper manner, but he prescribed the remedy, by 
enjoining his disciples to aspire at the perfection of 
every virtue. He illustrated the delays of provi- 
dence, and the unequal distribution of good and evil 3 
by the doctrine of a future state ; and by referring 
all our hopes to that happier world, he elevated the 
soul to God, and made it a partaker of divine repose. 
V. His manner of improving circumstances dis- 
covered an ease and propriety equally worthy of his 
character and of our imitation. Discoursing with 
the woman of Samaria concerning water, he turned 
the conversation to the living waters so often men- 
tioned in the prophets ; and when she mentioned the 
disputes between the Jews and Samaritans, concern- 
ing the place of external worship, he referred her to 
that worship which is in spirit and in truth. When 
he saw the multitudes thronging the wide gates, he 
took occasion to exhort them to enter in at the 
straight gate of regeneration, which leadeth unto 
life. The seditious multitude which followed him 
because of the loaves and fishes, and would have 
made him king, he exhorted to labor for the meat 
which endureth to eternal life, and withdrew himself 
from them ; as we should cautiously do whenever 
we fall into seditious and atheistical company. Also, 
when he saw the worshippers very thirsty in the 
temple, he invited them to come unto him, and drink 
of the waters which flowed from the spiritual rock. 
His admonitions and criticisms were always strik- 
ingly just, and his public disputations so conclusive, 
as to cover his opponents with confusion, and create 
veneration for his character. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 63 

VI. The divinity of our Saviour's works corres- 
ponded with the sublimity of his words, and with all 
those exalted ideas we entertain of the divine mu- 
nificence. The holy prophets when communicating 
their revelations, were jealous to give all the glory 
to the Lord. In the Pentateuch, we read that " the 
Lord spake to Moses ;" and the prophets introdu- 
ced their revelations with, " thus saith the Lord." 
Our divine Master spake not as a servant, but as a 
Son. He came from the bosom of :he Father, and 
acted with supreme authority. Correcting the false 
interpretation of the law by the Rabbins, he express- 
es himself as the sovereign lawgiver. u It hath been 
said by them of old time, thou shalt love thy neigh- 
bour and hate thine enemy ; but I say unto you, love 
your enemies, bless them that curse you, and pray 
for them that despitefully use you and persecute 
you." If objected, that Elijah raised up the dead, 
he rectifies the error by intimating that the Lord 
wrought the work in answer to Elijah's prayer.- 
" As the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth 
them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. As 
the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given the 
Son to have life in himself," John v. 21 . This was 
making the proper distinction between the servants 
and the Son. 

VII. A man publishing the laws of heaven in ma- 
jestic language, and deciding on questions but im- 
perfectly known to the prophets, certainly ought to 
substantiate his mission by divine works. Besides, 
those who were open to conviction, and ready to 
embrace the truth, had not sufficient time to try the 
effects of the gospel on society. On these accounts 
it was really requisite that miracles should, for a 
while, accompany the Christian ministry. Accord- 
ingly, when modest or urgent occasions offered, 
and when the distressed solicited relief by faith, the 
blind saw — the deaf heard — the lame walked — the 



64 INTRODUCTION 

sick were cured — the lepers were cleansed — demo- 
niacs delivered — and the dead were raised up. 

In the creation, u God spake and it was done ; be 
commanded and it stood fast. By the word of the 
Lord the heavens were made, and the hosts of them 
by the breath of his mouth," Psalm xxxiii. 6. Just 
so, when the same word was made flesh, he spake, 
and the stormy winds and seas were calmed at his 
rebuke — the fishes of the deep assembled at his se- 
cret call — the hungry multitudes were fed with a 
trivial quantity of bread — yea, 

" The modest water, aw'd by pow'r divine, 
Confess'd its God, and blushing, turn'd to wine." 

Thus every creature, whether animate or inani- 
mate, did him homage as the God of nature, and 
obeyed him as the ruler of the universe. 

The number, variety, and magnitude of our 
Lord's miracles were too great to admit of mistake, 
and too openly performed to be capable of decep- 
tion. They are attested by enemies as well as by 
friends. Among the Jews, Josephus and the Tal- 
mud, and among the heathen, Celsus and Julian, 
however incautiously, bear their testimony to the 
miraculous powers of Christ. 

Some of these miracles, it is granted, he wrought 
hy the ministry of holy angels, and some by the 
ministry of demons, as when he destroyed the swine 
of the Gadarenes. Satan solicited power to do this 
evil that he might prejudice the people against the 
gospel, and our Lord permitted it, as he permits 
other evils, that they might be either hardened or 
humbled under the mighty hand of God. 

After all these miracles, the perverse rulers of 
Israel still demanded of the Saviour, some further 
sign of his mission, or proof that God had sent him : 
probably, some such visible appearance of the di- 
vine glory as they had been accustomed to while the 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 65 

tabernacle and first temple stood. The Lord rebuk- 
ing their incredulity, declared, that he would give 
them a sign, but it should be the sign of his resurrec- 
tion to their utter confusion ; that as Jonah was rais- 
ed up from the deep, so should the Son of man be 
raised up the third day from the dead. 

On the subject of miracles the enemies of Christi- 
anity have no alternative, but ei'her to acknowledge 
them to be wrought by the Holy Spirit, or by the 
power of demons ; for they have already acknowl- 
edged their existence. To human power they can- 
not be ascribed ; and, " if Satan cast out Satan, how 
shall his kingdom stand ?" Our Lord knowing that 
the Pharisees ascribed them to Beelzebub, the 
prince of devils, and foreseeing that the heathen 
would ascribe them to magic, took occasion to de- 
nounce the most dreadful punishment against so pre- 
sumptive a crime. " All sins," said he, " shall be 
forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies 
wherewith soever they shall blaspheme ; but he that 
shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never 
forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation ; 
because they said, he hath an unclean spirit," Mark 
iii. 22—30. 

VIII. The personal virtues of our blessed Lord 
conferred the highest honor on human nature, and 
on his ministerial character. In the commencement 
of his discourse on the mount, he discovered his com- 
passion by promising the kingdom of heaven to the 
poor in spirit, and comfort to the mourners. He 
had compassion on the desolate widow of Nain, and 
raised her only son from the dead. In order that, 
the Jews might believe, he wept with the sisters of 
Lazarus, and restored their brother to life, though 
he had been dead four days. He was a physician 
to the sick, and the friend of penitent publicans and 
sinners. The disciples, who wept when he told of 
his departure, he comforted with a series of promts- 
f 2 



66 INTRODUCTION 

es concerning his peace and presence, which he 
would ever afford them ; and concerning the com- 
forter, and his own assured return to receive them 
to glory. The reviving tidings of his resurrection 
he sent to backslidden Peter by name ; and when 
giving a ministerial charge to that apostle, after his 
restoration, the lambs of the flock were first recom- 
mended to his pastoral care. In a word, his meek- 
ness and humility, his piety and diligence, his pa- 
tience and resignation, discovered a glory altogeth- 
er worthy of our incarnate God. 

When undeceiving the multitudes with regard to 
their hopes of his becoming a temporal prince, he 
discovered the utmost frankness and undisguised 
sincerity. He could not, for a moment, suffer them 
to remain under the fond but fatal delusion. " If 
any man," said he, " will come after me, let him de- 
ny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow 
me. Whosoever will save his life shall lose it ; but 
whosoever will lose his life for my sake and the 
gospel's, the same shall save it." May we all learn 
of this divine Saviour to lay the axe in like manner 
10 the root of every vice. 

In Jerusalem, and some other cities, in which his 
ministry and miracles too were wholly rejected, he 
used the utmost endeavours to remove their preju- 
dice, and conciliate their affections. Against his mir- 
acles, the priests and rulers could bring no objection; 
but they objected to him as a wicked man, because 
he wrought some of them on the Sabbath day. To 
remove this prejudice, our Lord compared their 
public conduct with his own : when he healed the 
man with a withered hand, he observed, that it was 
as lawful for him to loose that man, as for them to 
loose a beast, and lead him to water. Likewise, 
when he healed the man at the pool, who had been 
lame for eight and thirty years, he observed, that 
they performed the operation of circumcision on 



TO CHRISTIANITY. (]? 

liie Sabbath ; consequently, that it was as lawful 
for him to heal, as for them to wound on that day. 
But all these arguments made but a momentary 
impression on their ancient prejudices in favour 
of a regal Messiah; they would neither receive 
him as a good man nor a prophet ; and when he 
asserted his existence previous to Abraham, they 
took up stones to cast at him. 

It was wholly with a view to remove prejudice, 
prevent civil commotion, and promote usefulness, 
that he concealed his divine character from the 
world. When entering on his ministry, he told no 
one who he was, but rather let his words and works 
gradually disclose his mission and character. His 
disciples, indeed, believed on him, as the promised 
Messiah, from the beginning ; but the consideration 
of his humble condition allayed their joys, and de- 
ferred their hopes of a temporal kingdom. It was 
not till the second year of his ministry, while going 
to Cesarea, that he confirmed their faith in him as 
the Son of God, or the Messiah ; but at the same 
time he charged them to tell no man. Also, in a 
village of Samaria, in which there was no danger of 
exciting the jealousy of the Jewish rulers, he frank- 
ly avowed his character, and confirmed it by divine 
evidences. This admirable prudence of Jesus, in 
appearing as an extraordinary prophet only, secur- 
ed the protection of his disciples, and removed eve- 
ry obstruction to the conversion of those factions 
which composed the Jewish church and polity. 

IX. After the imprisonment and martyrdom of 
John, the eyes of the pious Jews were turned to 
Jesus. Knowing the seventy weeks of Daniel to be 
accomplished, it was their general expectation, that 
the Messiah would now appear ;* hence considera- 

* Percrebuerat oriente (oto vetus etconstans opinio, rsse in 
iutu> Judi^a. profecti rerum potirentur. SttXT. 

Pluribus persuasio inerat, antiquis sacerdotum libris coiiline 



68 INTRODUCTION 

ble numbers of the people, and some of the chief 
rulers, believed on him. But the nation at large 
was otherwise disposed. Accustomed to hear the 
Rabbins apply those predictions, which speak of 
the Messiah's sufferings, to afflicted princes ; and 
those which speak of his spiritual kingdom, to the 
splendor of his temporal reign in Jerusalem, they 
altogether rejected the humble-preaching Saviour. 

Besides, our blessed Lord's popularity as a 
preacher, and his wisdom and sanctity as a man 
and a prophet, were insupportable to the priestly 
rulers. They endeavoured on every occasion, and 
by every means, to lay hold of him ; and, if possible, 
to put him to death. The few distinguished mira- 
cles he wrought in Jerusalem had no effect but to 
increase their calumnies, and confirm their malice. 
So were they disposed towards him when the resur- 
rection of Lazarus brought their counsel to a crisis; 
that is, to put him to death as soon as they could 
apprehend him. This miracle was so luminious, 
and had such an effect in removing prejudice, and 
in converting many in Jerusalem, that the chief 
priests took up the fact in the most serious manner, 
and substituted policy for justice. " If we let him 
thus alone," said they, " all men will believe on 
him ; and the Romans (deeming his congregations 
insurrections) shall come and take away both out- 
place and nation." By this decision, they horridly 
agreed to bring upon themselves the blood of the 
Holy and Just One. But Jesus did not commit 
himself into their hand, because his hour was not 
come. 

X. After this, and indeed after a preceding con- 
spiracy, Jesus prudently withdrew from the can- 
tons of Jewry^ and confined his labors to Galilee 

ri eo ipso tempore fore, ut valesceret oriens profectique Judaea 
rerura potirentur. Tacit. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. £9 

and the sea-coast, because his work was not yet ac- 
complished. He sent the twelve, and afterwards 
the seventy disciples, into all the cities and villa- 
ges he intended to visit, that the people might be 
excited to look for the kingdom of God immediate- 
ly. Having now manifested himself as an extra- 
ordinary prophet, and in many respects as the Mes- 
siah, to the whole Jewish nation ; having laid the 
foundation of his infant church, and adequately pro- 
vided for its ministry, every object of his prophet- 
ic mission was fully accomplished : he therefore 
hasted to Jerusalem, that he might put away sin by 
the sacrifice of himself. But oh ! when he beheld 
the city, recollecting its privileges, attesting its 
crimes, and foreseeing its punishment, he wept and 
lamented over it. u O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou 
that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are 
sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered 
thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her 
chickens under her wings, and ye would not ! — If 
thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, 
the things which belong unto thy peace, but now 
they are hid from thine eyes. — Thine enemies shall 
cast a trench about thee, and shall lay thee even 
with the ground, because thou knewest not the 
time of thy visitation," Luke xix. 41. Matt, xxiii. 
37. We learn from this elegiac prediction, that 
the sinners in Jerusalem had a day of grace, or 
time of visitation ; and that this invaluable moment 
was past from the time they wickedly rejected the 
ministry and miracles of Jesus Christ, and in par- 
ticular the resurrection of Lazarus. How amazing 
is the long-suffering of God, to spare men to such a 
height of depravity ! How unsearchable are his wis- 
dom and judgments, that he should employ repro- 
bates in the accomplishment of prophecy respect- 
ing the crucifixion of his Son ! 



70 INTRODUCTION 

XI. Of this tragic event, he began to apprize the 
disciples on such occasions, and in such expressions, 
as were best suited to their feelings and situation : 
for they did not expect their master to be crucified 
on Calvary, but to reign in Jerusalem. As Provi- 
dence generally conceals our troubles till they come, 
or till their near approach, so Jesus was pleased to 
conceal this catastrophe from his disciples, that their 
sorrow might speedly be turned to joy. It was not 
till his last journey to that incorrigible city, that he 
acquainted them plainly with the circumstances of 
his death and resurrection. " The Son of man," 
said he, " must be rejected of the high priests and 
elders, crucified, and rise again the third day." — 
When Mary anointed his head, he said, u she hath 
done it unto my burial ;" indicating that God had 
prompted her to an excess in civility, which she 
could not then account for. In the guest-chamber 
he disclosed to his disciples almost every circum- 
stance of his departure, being improper to conceal 
it a moment longer ; and he endeavoured to recon- 
cile their minds to his exit, by a variety of impress- 
ive and suitable arguments. " Except," said he, 
" a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it 
abideth alone, but if it die, it bringeth forth fruit. 
If I go not away, the Comforter will not come ; but 
if 1 go, I will send him. I go and prepare a place 
for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I 
will come again and receive you to myself." 

It may be here remarked, that these predictions 
of Christ are as demonstrative of his godhead as his 
miracles. Indeed, the greater part of his ministry 
was one continued series of predictions respecting 
the success of the gospel, the rewards of the right- 
eous, and the punishments of the wicked. His pre- 
dictions respecting the destruction of Jerusalem we 
should particularly notice, because their striking 
completion is confirmed bv the fullest historic evi 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 71 

dence. That perverse and incorrigible city had ev 
er rejected the word of the Lord, and killed the 
prophets ; therefore he infatuated them to their own 
destruction. The prominent circumstances of this 
destruction were minutely detailed by our Lord. — 
He said, that the enemy should surround them as 
eagles gather about their prey ; that the horrors 
of the seige should be incomparably severe ; that 
those who should be happy, or rather wretched 
enough to survive the dreadful calamity, should be 
led away captive to all nations. He, lastly, provid- 
ed for the safety of his church, by warning the dis- 
ciples to flee to the mountains on the approach of 
the hostile armies. There are two other remarka- 
ble circumstances which he predicted, and which 
were not accomplished when Titus suppressed the 
Jewish rebellion in the seventieth of Christ, but 
they were accomplished in the next rebellion, viz. 
that the foundation of the temple should be razed, 
and that Jerusalem should be trodden down of the 
Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles should be 
fulfilled. The reader need only compare the twen- 
ty-first chapter of Saint Luke with the Jewish his- 
tory, to trace the prophetic character and amazing 
wisdom of Jesus Christ. May he ever deign, of his 
great mercy, to g.uide us by that wisdom, and may 
we ever be preserved from danger, like his first dis- 
ciples, by attending to his word ! 

XII. Six days before the passover, at which our 
Lord was crucified, he arrived at Bethany, and sup- 
ped with Lazarus, and his two sisters, Mary and 
Martha. After supper Mary anointed Jesus with a 
box of precious ointment, which caused Judas to 
murmur. His friends in the city, with many of the 
populace, hearing of his arrival, came out next 
morning to meet him, for the resurrection of Lazarus 
had induced many to believe on him. Jesus accom- 
panied them into the city, riding on an ass's colt : 



72 INTRODUCTION 

and these being met by a multitude still coming to 
meet him, the joy of his disciples became so great, 
that it could not be contained. They cut down 
branches of trees, as emblems of peace and joy, 
spread their garments for his beast to tread upon, 
and sunghosannas to him, as the son of David, and 
the king of Israel. The Pharisees, alarmed at these 
divine and regal honours, entreated him to repress 
them ; but he would not, it being meet that the chil- 
dren of Zion should rejoice, and for once do hom- 
age to their king, Zech. x. 

His stay in Jerusalem was but for a night or two ; 
for he returned to Bethany again. And two days 
before the passover he supped with Simon the leper, 
one of the chief rulers. 

XIII. We shall now retire with Jesus to the guest- 
chamber, and see the last moments of him who is the 
source of all wisdom, and the model of every virtue. 
After supping with his disciples, he gave Judas a 
sop, and dismissed him, and then by prayer and 
thanksgiving consecrated bread and wine, as the sa- 
cred memorials of his passion and death.* All na- 
tions have celebrated illustrious deeds, and great 
events of a beneficent nature, by some exterior me- 
morials of festivity and honour. Providence, in the 
religious economy, has done the same. The cove- 
nant with Abraham received the seal of circumcis- 
ion ; the deliverance from Egypt was annually cel- 
ebrated by the feast of the passover ; in the intro- 
duction of the gospel, the baptism of water was 
imposed on ail believers, as a badge of their faith 
and purity. Agreeably to these institutions, our 
Lord took bread, and blessed, and brake it, saying, 

* Two of the evangelists mention the sacrament as previous to 
the sop ; but on several occasions they are more solicitous of 
truth than of order. And as the sop is presumed to be a part of 
the supper, Mr. Pool is decidedly of opinion, that Judas was not 
present at the holy sacrament. 



TO CHRISTIANITY, 7$ 

u take, eat ; this is my body, which is given for 
you. In like manner he took the cup, and when 
he had given thanks, he said, drink ye all of this — i - 
this is my blood of the New Testament which is 
shed for you, for the remission of sins : do this in 
remembrance of me." This solemn and sacred 
ordinance he enlivened by such discourse concern- 
ing the glory and happiness of heaven ; his media- 
tion with the Father ; his future advent ; and the 
offices and grace of the Comforter, as charmed and 
edified his weeping disciples. He then sung a 
hymn, and retired to the garden of Gethsemane, 
his occasional place of devotion. 

XIV. On entering the garden, he withdrew about 
a stone's cast from his disciples, and falling down 
on his knees, began to ask life and salvation for a 
guilty world. And oh ! tremendous to say ! justice 
could remit no part of the punishment — the innocent 
or the guilty must die. Justice could remit no 
part, even to the beloved Son, though his shrinking 
humanity deprecated the bitter cup : therefore he 
said, " Father, not as I will, but as thou wilt." 
Hereupon his righteous soul sustained the whole an- 
guish of our iniquities, which it pleased the divine 
justice to transfer to him. " The sorrows of death 
compassed him about, and the pains of hell got hold 
upon him. 1 ' Three times he prostrated and prayed ; 
and three times he rose in the conflict. So great 
was his agony, that the blood mixing with the per- 
spiration, fell in large drops to the earth. But, al- 
though the severest part of the passion probably did 
not exceed an hour ; yet, when the innocence and 
dignity of the sufferer are considered, it was a far 
more luminous display of the divine justice than can 
be made by the everlasting punishment of those who 
reject the everlasting happiness and life presented 
in Christ Jesus. 



74 INTRODUCTION 

XV. Jesus, wakirtg his sleeping disciples, went 
forward and discovered his person to the armed mul- 
titude, who were entering the garden to apprehend 
him. So alarmed were the chief priests and rulers 
at the increasing popularity of Jesus, and so intent 
were they on his destruction, that on the information 
of Judas, they convened an extraordinary assembly, 
and continued their sitting the whole night. The 
council, gratified by a sight of the prisoner, were 
embarrassed for evidence which would effect his life: 
they sought for false witnesses, but found none to 
their purpose. Many, indeed, appeared against him, 
but their accusations were not of a seditious nature ; 
they concerned some of his religious expressions 
misunderstood. This embarrassment being insup- 
portable, the high priest, contrary to every principle 
of judicature, adjured him by the living God to say, 
whether he was the Christ. To this solemn requi- 
sition our blessed Lord gave a full and positive 
answer, that hereafter they should see him on the 
clouds of heaven, with power and great glory; that 
is, they should see him as Moses and Israel saw him, 
on Mount Sinai ; or as they themselves had wanton- 
ly solicited, when they demanded, in addition to that 
of miracles, a sign of his being the Messiah. This 
was enough : the high priest rent his garments at 
the presumed blasphemy; and sent away Jesus to 
be judged and condemned by Pilate, the Roman gov- 
ernor. The whole council and their party followed 
to accuse him. Pilate, seeing the chief priests and 
rulers at the gates, requested that they would try 
the prisoner according to their law. They replied 
in vehement accusations, that he disseminated sedi- 
tious principles through all Jewry, and dissuaded 
the people from paying tribute ; that he had assumed 
regal titles, and but live days before had received 
homage as a prince on his entrance into Jerusalem. 
They added further, that by (heir law he ought to 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 75 

die, and that they had not power to inflict the pun- 
ishment. Impressed by these charges, and by the 
silence of Jesus, Pilate "took him aside, and demand- 
ed who he was ; whether he were a king, and what 
he had done. Jesus frankly acknowledged, that he 
was born to be a king, and came into the world to 
bear witness of the truth of his mission, but that 
his kingdom was not of this world. Satisfied with 
this reply, Pilate affirmed to the priests that he 
could not find the charges of sedition substantiated. 
They then brought forward the charge of blasphe- 
my, that Jesus had entitled himself the Son of God. 
The governor, awed by hearing this, and by a note 
he received from his lady, requesting him to have 
nothing to do with that righteous man, on account of 
what she had dreamed concerning him the prece- 
ding night, perceived that the whole was a religious 
concern, and that the chief priests had accused him 
through envy. From that instant he endeavoured 
to deliver Jesus by every effort of policy, instead of 
doing it by the dignified courage of a governor. 
He said, "I will chastise him, and let him go." The 
priests and rulers, alarmed lest Christ should es- 
cape, became outrageous, and used strong words. 
" If thou let this man go," said they, " thou art not 
Caesar's friend : whosoever maketh himself a king, 
speaketh against Caesar." Pilate's fears were now 
addressed by the menace of an appeal to Rome ; 
for it was again alleged, that Jesus, throughout Gal- 
lilee and Jewry, had excited the people to sedition. 
Hearing that Jesus was a native of Gallilee, govern- 
ed by Herod, who was then in Jerusalem, Pilate 
hoped to have extricated himself from the business, 
by sending him to be judged by his own prince. 
But Herod and his courtiers, unable to extort a 
word from Jesus, wantonly derided him, and sent 
him back to Pilate. This weak and wicked prince, 
instead of extricating the Saviour, as Lysias extri- 



76 INTRODUCTION 

cated St. Paul, ineffectually attempted his release, 
by availing himself of the custom of gratifying the 
people at the feast, by the release of a prisoner. 
He made the appeal in person; but the chief priests 
having influenced them to prefer a murderer, the 
vociferations were, " not this man, but Barabbas." 

XVI. Jesus was now delivered to be scourged, ac- 
cording to the custom of the Romans ; and the sol- 
diers having heard the false accusations, that he had 
aspired to regal dignity, platted a crown of thorns, 
and placed it on his head ; a purple robe was pro- 
cured, in which he was arrayed ; a reed was sub- 
stituted for a sceptre, and placed in his hand. They 
then bowed the knee, and paid him homage as the 
king of Israel. Others hearing that he was a pro- 
phet, covered his eyes, and smiting him, said, " pro- 
phecy, who smote." But God converted these in- 
dignities into real honours, by supporting him with 
victorious patience ; by speedily raising him from 
the dead, and investing him with the sceptre of uni- 
versal dominion. 

When the person of Jesus now exhibited the ex* 
treme of mockery and misery, Pilate exposed him to 
the people, probably hoping to excite their compas- 
sion : but they still cried for Barabbas. " What 
then," said he, " shall I do with Jesus ?" They 
cried, " crucify him ! crucify him !" " What," said 
he, " shall I crucify your king ?" They replied, 
" we have no king but Caesar." He then took 
water and washed his hands, affirming that he was 
innocent of his blood : and oh ! how dreadful to 
add, this infatuated crowd dared even the ven- 
geance of heaven : " His blood," said they, " be 
upon us and upon our children !" 

Jesus being sentenced to the cross, was instantly 
led away to Calvary, and crucified between two 
thieves amid the insults of his foes, and the tears of 
his friends. The chief priests and rulers followed 



TO CHRISTIANITY". 77 

with the crowd, to feast their eyes with his suffer- 
ings, and to excite the multitude to deride him. 
" They wagged their heads, saying, he saved others, 
himself he cannot save. If he be the Christ, let 
him come down from the cross, and we will believe 
him." This extreme of depravity was never ex- 
ceeded but by the piety of Jesus, who said, "Father, 
forgive them, for they know not what they do." 

About the ninth hour, his suffering humanity 
made its last complaint — "My God! my God! why 
hast thou forsaken me ?" Knowing now, that every 
minutiae of the prophecies respecting his death was 
accomplished, and that atonement was made for the 
sins of the world, he said, " IT IS FINISHED!" 
and taught us how to die by commending his spirit 
into the hands of the Father. 

The sun for three hours veiled himself in sack- 
cloth, and refused to see the deed. The earth trem- 
bled beneath its guilty inhabitants. The rocks rent; 
many of the saints arose from their graves, and ap- 
peared to their friends in Jerusalem. Many of the 
populace were undeceived. There is no hypocri- 
sy in death. It is scarcely possible for a man who 
prayed for his crucifiers to be an impostor ; or for 
one, who with his last breath could commend his 
spirit to God, to be a wicked person. " Truly," 
said the centurion, " this man was the Son of 
God." 

O ! most gracious Father, what a tragic, but in- 
structive scene is here disclosed ! Significantly, in- 
deed, was the veil of the temple rent from the top 
to the bottom. The mangled body of that spotless 
lamb, covered with gore, discloses the mystic refer- 
ence of all the sin offerings. This Calvary, with- 
out the gate ; and that cross, streaked and sprin- 
kled with blood, show the pre-signification of the 
red heifer, slain without the camp, and the sprin- 
kling of its blood upon the veil. It is I and mv fcl- 
g 2 



iO INTRODUCTION 

low- worms who have sinned ; our crimes have pierc * 
ed his body, and nailed it to the tree ; but he suffer- 
ed to put our sin away. Ah ! this is the curse, and 
this is the death our crimes have merited ; but he 
died that we might live. We see now of whom Isaiah 
spake in these elegiac words: "He was wounded 
for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniqui- 
ties. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter ; and 
as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so he open- 
ed not his mouth." O ! may we look on him whom 
we have pierced \ and mixing our sorrows with his, 
may we die to sin as he died for sin ; that being 
planted in the likeness of his death, we may be also 
in the likeness of his resurrection. 

XVII. Jesus was interred in a new sepulchre, 
which Joseph of Arimathea had hewed out of a 
rock for himself. Here the sacred body, after its 
hard conflicts, reposed till the third day, that the re- 
ality of the Saviour's death might be recognised ; 
that the dark abode might be cheered : and the 
grave constituted the softest bed on which saints 
ever slept. Here also, with worldly historians, the 
scene closes in the shades of oblivion ; but with Jesus 
Christ, the period is yet to come. Having spoiled 
the powers of darkness on the cross, and vanquish- 
ed death by making his soul an offering for sin, he 
could not be detained in the tomb. The payment 
of the ransom emancipates the captive : therefore, 
the angel of the Lord descended and rolled away 
the stone and the conqueror arose from the dead, 
and assumed his kingdom and immortal glory. 

The poor heart broken-disciples, till revived by 
the tidings of their master's resurrection, were cov- 
ered with a sable gloom of pensive grief. But, as 
mariners when cast on reefs of rock in a dark night, 
and give up life and all for lost, are elated with joy 
to find themselves safely floated by the morning 
tide, " so were the disciples glad when they saw 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 71 

die Lord." They then perfectly understood his 
words — " Ye shall shall have sorrow, but your sor- 
row shall be turned into joy." And even in the 
depth of their gloom and grief, their integrity pre- 
served them from shame. Two of them said to 
the supposed stranger, " we trusted it had been he 
which should have redeemed Israel." 

Immediately after the resurrection, Jesus hasted 
to comfort his weeping friends, particularly Mary 
and Peter, whose sorrows were extreme. For for- 
ty days he employed himself in these consolatory 
offices, and in elucidating the types and prophecies 
of the Old Testament, which allude to his sufferings 
and entrance into glory. But some doubted, and 
others were afraid. To these he said, "handle me, 
for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me 
have." Having thus seen the Lord, they were con- 
stituted faithful witnesses of his resurrection, and 
being anointed by his Spirit, were made able 
ministers of the New Testament. 

XVIII. Great was the joy in the habitations of 
the righteous, because the right hand of the Lord 
had done valiantly, and brought mighty things to 
pass : but the most sublime and encouraging trans- 
action yet remained to be achieved. It was not 
proper for the immortal God, for whom all things 
were created, to fix his permanent residence in this 
sinful and temporary world. Therefore, on the 
fortieth day after the resurrection, he conducted his 
disciples to Mount Olivet, not far from the garden 
where he sustained the dreadful conflict ; and hav- 
ing given them final instructions he stretched forth 
his hands and blessed them. Then the conqueror 
of sin, and death, and hell, ascended triumphantly 
to heaven. The disciples beheld when their master 
was taken up, and followed him with their eyes and 
hearts, till a cloud received him out of their sight. 
They continued looking, with indescribable emo- 



80 INTRODUCTION 

tions, till two angels, who seem to have been left be- 
hind as their guardians, comforted them with the 
only promise which could comfort them ; that their 
adorable and identical Lord should so return as they 
had seen him go into heaven. 

O my soul ! what a scene of glorious triumph is 
here presented to thy view ! See the God — the man 
— and thy Redeemer, lead captivity captive, and 
cast the trackless orbits of the comets, and all the 
celestial spheres, far beneath his feet ! See him at- 
tended with cherubim and seraphim, receive the 
homage of myriads of suns and worlds as he rides 
through the starry heavens, which are but the dark 
concave of the purer regions, or the illuminations 
which surround the temple of uncreated glory. — 
Hear this triumphant choir celebrate his victories 
with harps and trumpets, songs and shouts. Hear 
his princely herald surprise the thrones of heaven 
with a voice of thunder — " Lift up your heads, O ye 
gates ! and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and 
the King of Glory shall come in ! Who is the King 
of Glory? JEHOVAH— strong and mighty !— JE- 
HOVAH of armies — he is the King of Glory ! Lift 
up your heads, O ye gates ! and be ye lift up, ye 
everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come 
in." See the entrance of our Immanuel into the 
glory he had with the Father, before the world ex- 
isted. See his immortalized humanity seated at 
the right hand of majesty, and invested with su- 
preme authority both in heaven and in earth, -which 
is the pledge and model of our future glory, when 
he shall come again to receive us to himself. See 
all heaven attracted by his glory, surround the 
throne to acquaint themselves with the redemption 
of man. See the sealed book of providence pre- 
sented in the Father's right hand ; but no one is 
able — no one is worthy to take the book and un- 
loose the seals ! See, after a silence and a solemn 



TO CHRISTIANITY. tfl 

pause, the Lion and Prince of Judah's line, boldly 
take the book, and enter on his high functions of 
mediator with God and judge of man ! See all the 
shining crowds on the occasion prostrate before 
the throne, strike their golden harps, and make the 
vaulted heavens resound with the new song of re- 
deeming love, in which every creature ascribes 
equal blessing and honour, and glory, and pow- 
er, to him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the 
Lamb for ever and ever! Haste then, O my soul! to 
join thy devotion to theirs. Haste to adore him on 
earth as he is adored in heaven, that thou mayest be 
counted worthy at his coming to be received into 
his eternal joy ! 



SECTION V, 

THE FIRST AND GENERAL SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL. 

Keeping our eye stedfastly fixed on the golden 
chain of man's salvation, we shall next turn our views 
to the blessed apostles, and see them build the church 
of the living God upon Jesus Christ, the sure found- 
ation, and according to the doctrine of the holy pro- 
phets. Conformably to their master's instructions, 
they waited ten days at Jerusalem for the gift of the 
Holy Ghost, which was deferred till the feast of 
Pentecost, that it might correspond with the type, 
the Lord's descent on Mount Sinai to promulge the 
law on the fiftieth day after the deliverance from 
Egypt. It was deferred also that the Jews, pros- 
elytes, and strangers, who came up to the feast from 
every province of the empire, might hear the gospel 
in their native language. 

I. Early in the morning the apostles and brethren 
were assembled for prayer, about one hundred and 
twenty in number. And suddenly the Holy Ghost 
descended with a sound like a tremendous tempest -- 



82 INTRODUCTION 

his glory filled the whole house, and sat upon each 
of them, as cloven tongues of fire, expressive of the 
numerous languages he instantaneously enabled 
them to speak. Endowed with this unction, and 
with these qualifications, they distributed them- 
selves in the streets, preaching Jesus, the true Mes- 
siah, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Thus the 
cloud of the divine glory, which appeared at the 
dedication of the tabernacle and the temple, came 
now and rested on his living temple, to replenish 
and adorn his saints with grace, and dwell with 
them for ever. 

The devout Jews and proselytes, who were 
strangers, attended to the Christian preachers with 
candor and reverence. But the natives, not under- 
standing these languages, nor knowing for what 
end they were given, mocked and traduced the 
preachers as intoxicated with wine. Peter perceiv- 
ing this, stood up among the greatest concourse, and 
animadverted on the absurdity of the alleged intox- 
ication, because it was too early an hour in the day. 
He assured them, that this really was the effusion 
of the Spirit, and the preaching spoken of by the 
prophet Joel. He then identified the person of 
Jesus to be the true Messiah, by surprising and 
copious applications of prophecy. He proved 
his resurection from the testimony of David — 
" Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor suffer 
thine Holy One to see corruption." He adduced 
the positive and unequivocal evidences they had of 
the resurrection and ascension of their adorable 
master. He lastly applied his sermon in these 
piercing words : " Therefore, let all the house of 
Israel know assuredly, that this same Jesus, whom 
ye by wicked hands have crucified and slain, is both 
Lord and Christ. And when they heard this, they 
were pricked in the heart, and said unto Peter, and 
the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 83 

thall we do ?" In answer to their piercing inquir- 
ies, he promised pardon, in the first place, to every 
penitent : and in the second, he promised the higher 
endowments of the Spirit to as many of them and 
their children as the Lord should think proper to 
call to that ministry. The effect of this day's min- 
istry was the conversion of three thousand persons. 
They gladly received the word, were baptized, and 
sealed with the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

II. In a day or two after, Peter and John, going 
to worship in the temple, healed a lame man, who 
sat begging at the beautiful gate. This attracted 
the surrounding crowd, who seemed to have looked 
on the apostles with more than human reverence. 
Peter embraced this happy occasion of magnifying 
the name of his crucified master, and five thousand 
more were converted by this distinguished miracle 
and powerful sermon. 

The whole of this infant church was filled with 
the Holy Ghost ; their sensations of pardon, peace, 
and joy, were inexpressible ; and their simplicity, 
purity, and devotion indicated the heaven which in- 
spired their bosom. " They continued stedfast in 
the apostles' doctrine, and fellowship, and in break- 
ing of bread, and in prayer." The Apostles and 
their fellow-labourers being now endowed with the 
higher gifts of the Spirit, " the word of faith," to 
preach the mystery of the gospel, and "the word of 
knowledge" to expound the scriptures, announced 
the resurrection of Jesus Christ with surprising cour- 
age, and confirmed it bv working miracles in his 
name. Hence great fear fell upon the rulers who 
had crucified him ; and when they had apprehended 
the apostles, they durst not detain them more than 
a single night. " And all that believed were togeth- 
er, and had all things common. Neither were there 
any among them that lacked ; for as many as were 
possessed of houses or land sold them, and brought 



84 INTRODUCTION 

the money to the apostles, and distribution was 
made to the indigent brethren, as every man had 
need. And they continued daily with one accord 
in the temple, and breaking bread from house to 
house, did eat their meat with gladness and single- 
ness of heart, praising God, and having favour with 
all the people. And the Lord added unto the church 
daily such as were saved from sin by regenera- 
tion." 

This divine work having broken out at the feast, 
the converted worshippers returning home instantly 
communicated it to all parts of the country. In Sa- 
maria they had considerable success, and Philip 
was sent to confirm them by the gift of the Holy 
Ghost. The same success attended the word in 
Damascus, and in all the Jewish cities ; for we are 
informed, after the extraordinary conversion of 
Paul, which seems to have terrified his associate 
persecutors, that "the churches had rest throughout 
all Judea, and Samaria, and Galilee, and were edi- 
fied, and, walking in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, 
were multiplied," Acts ix. 30. 

The short but severe persecution with which the 
Jewish council assailed the church, obliged the 
brethren to fly into distant provinces. They trav- 
elled every where, preaching the Lord Jesus to the 
Jews and proselytes only. And the proselytes of 
that age, for whose sakes the gift of tongues seems 
to have been given, are estimated at one-fifth of the 
Jewish nation. What a gracious providence super- 
intended the infant church ! This persecution which 
was intended to exterminate Christianity, occasion- 
ed it to be disseminated more and more. 

III. After the course of five years, in which the 
converted Jews and proselytes were considerably 
established, it pleased God, according to the ancient 
prophecies, to open to his servants an abundant 
harvest in the Gentile world. This required an 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 85 

extraordinary revelation; for the ceremonial law 
was a partition-wall between the Hebrew and the 
heathen. Peter, one day while hungry, saw in a 
vision a great sheet let down from heaven, contain- 
ing a number of animals ceremonially unclean ; and 
a voice said, "rise, Peter, slay and eat." But he 
answered, not so, Lord, for that which is common 
among the Gentiles, or unclean in its kind, hath not 
at any time entered my mouth. The voice replied, 
" what God hath cleansed, that call not thou com- 
mon." This was repeated the second time, and then 
the whole was taken up into heaven. Cornelius, a 
devout and benevolent man, and centurion of the 
Italian band in Cagsarea, had a correspondent vis- 
ion. He saw an angel of God enter his closet, who 
assured him that his prayers and alms were come up 
for a memorial before God, and enjoined him to send 
for Peter, who would instruct him in the Christian 
doctrine. On the arrival of Cornelius's servants, 
Peter instantly understood the import of his vision, 
that he should associate with the heathen and in- 
struct them. And while he preached, the Holy 
Ghost fell upon Cornelius and all his friends, con- 
secrating them the first-fruits of the Gentiles to God. 
What a striking interposition of heaven for the sal- 
vation of the Gentiles. 

When returned to Jerusalem, Peter vindicated 
this devotion of conduct by appealing to the divine 
power. "What was I," said he, "that I could 
withstand God, seeing he gave the Holy Ghost to 
them, as well as to us ?" Acts x. 

About the same time, Paul also went to the Gen- 
tiles to turn them from darkness to light, and from 
the power of Satan to God, that their hearts might 
be purified by faith. And when the apostles and 
elders at Jerusalem, had heard him relate his suc- 
cess, they glorified God, and gave both him and 
Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that they 



80 INTRODUCTION 

should preach to the heathen. And being wishful 
to aid whatever God might do, they wrote circular 
letters, concerning the ceremonial liberty of the 
Gentiles ; but cautioned them to abstain from forni- 
cation, from meats offered to idols, and from blood. 
Hence, in a short time, all who dwelt in Asia minor 
heard the gospel. 

The apostles and brethren now distributed them- 
selves throughout all the provinces ond kingdoms 
of the empire, which, on account of its extent, was 
then called the world, both by sacred and profane 
writers. Some travelled to Rome, to Gaul, to 
Spain, and to the isles of Britain. Others pursued 
their route to Egypt, and preached in all the cities 
on the north of Africa as far as Carthage. Paul 
and Barnabas, with their colleagues, extended their 
labors to all the cities and islands of Greece, and 
to the Grecian colonies in Asia. Some penetrated 
among the Scythians and other barbarians in the 
north. Almost in every city these preachers had 
some fruit, and evangelical men were raised up in 
all the churches, who imitated the apostles in their 
life and ministry. 

IV. Of this first and general spread of the gospel, 
the primitive fathers have written considerably, 
and their testimonies are worthy of our regard. 
We shall select a (aw passages illustrative of the 
subject. 

" The gospel,"''* says Eusebius, " like the sun, 
enlightened the world at once. Great multitudes 
of people, both in cities and villages, were brought 
into the church, by the ministry of the apostles, like 
corn stored up in a granary. 

When the malicious Celsus objected to the novel- 
ly of Christianity, Origen replied, "here is the mys- 
tery, that a new doctrine, in so short a time, should 

* EccJ. Hist, lib. ii. c. 3- 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 87 

so surprisingly prevail over all the world ; over the 
Greeks and barbarians, over the learned and illit- 
erate, over every order and profession, and per- 
suade them with so firm a belief of its divine author- 
ity that they are ready to seal their faith with their 
blood."* 

" The philosophers,"! says Clemens Alexandri- 
ims, " pleased the Greeks only, nor did every one 
please all. Plato followed Socrates ; Theophras- 
tus, Aristotle; Cleanthus, Zeno ; every master had 
his own school and his own scholars. But our great 
Masters' philosophy was not confined to Judea, as 
theirs to Greece ; it diffused its lustre over the 
world at large : it was embraced by whole cities and 
nations, and no man can resist its force, who will 
leisurely contemplate its wisdom : the philosophers 
themselves have been captivated by its charms. — 
If the Grecian philosophy were suppressed in any 
place by the magistrates, it presently disappeared. 
On the contrary, our religion has been persecuted 
by kings — by emperors — by governors — by gene- 
rals — and by the populace, who were more fero- 
cious than all the others. They have combined the 
whole of their power and ingenious malice to exter- 
minate Christianity : and yet it flourishes the more, 
and does not droop and die, as it certainly must 
have done had it been of mere human invention." 

Arnobius, in his second book,. defends Christiani- 
ty against the degrading assertions of the heathens 
in a similar manner. " You should not, 1 think, be 
a little surprised to see this despised name every 
where prevail, and in so short a time. There i« no 
nation (in the empire) however barbarous and un- 
civilized, whose manners have not been softened and 
improved by this philanthropic institution. And 
what is yet more surprising, it has subdued the 

f Coll. lib. vi. fol. 30?, 



88 INTRODUCTION 

brightest geniuses. Orators, critics, lawyers, phy- 
sicians, and philosophers, have yielded to its 
force. Its disciples are so sincere and pious in 
their profession, as to forego the enjoyments of 
life, and life itself, rather than renounce the cross. 
Hence, notwithstanding all your edicts and prose- 
cutions — all your menaces and massacres — all your 
hangmen and ingenious tortures, they not only be- 
come more numerous, but more vigorous in their 
resolution. Can you suppose all this is brought 
about by chance ; that men will die for a religion, 
of whose divine authority they are not assured ; or, 
that there is a general conspiracy of fools and mad- 
men to throw away their lives for a phantom ?" 

V. The first planting of Christianity affords such 
evidences of its divine original, such abundant, sup- 
port to believers, and such animating hopes with 
regard to its second and universal spread, as entitle 
it to the fullest consideration. But our limits re- 
quire very great brevity. 

We are here presented with a small company of 
plain and pious men, leaving Judea, and travelling 
over the empire, to exalt their crucified master, as 
the Lord and Saviour of the world. They had lit- 
1 1e subsistence from the churches in their own coun- 
try ; but when exigency required, they did not dis- 
dain to labour with their hands. We see them en- 
during pain and hunger, hatred and reproach, im- 
prisonment and stripes ; and, most of them, laying 
down their lives for the testimony of Jesus. With 
irreligion and vice they made no compound, but es- 
tablished the throne, and founded the church of 
Christ on the ruin of idols. Their zeal resulted 
from knowledge ; their high commission made them 
debtors to all men ; and the love of Christ in their 
hearts could not be quenched by adversity. They 
had seen their most gracious Lord face to face, 
heard him preach, and beheld the powerful effects 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 89 

of his ministry and miracles. They had received 
the most indubitable proofs of his resurrection, in 
sacred and social offices ; and they beheld when he 
ascended to heaven. The mystery hid in ages past 
had just been unveiled to their view ; they felt in 
their hearts the power and love of Christ ; and the 
energy with which they preached pierced their au- 
ditors, and sometimes caused them to fall down on 
their faces and give glory to God, Acts ii. 37. 1 Cor. 
xiv. 24, 25. 

VI. Every thing, however, was not against the 
first teachers of Christianity. The incredible ex- 
cess to which superstition and vice had attained, in- 
duced many of the more sober heathens to give a 
cordial reception to a religion which promised them 
a full emancipation from the yoke of demons. Some 
of their goddesses were naked, or nearly so. Vul- 
can walked limping ; Apollo was formed with a 
smooth chin ; iEsculapius all beard ; Neptune with 
blue eyes ; Mercury with wings at his feet, and 
Saturn with fetters. Erigene hung herself, that she 
might become a goddess ; Castor and Pollux died 
by turns that they might become immortal, and 
Hercules was burnt in Mount iEtna, that he might 
be elevated to heaven. The theatres, games, and 
feasts of the Romans, were insupportably lewd and 
licentious. Women of fashion were weighed down 
w r ith gold and jewels, and they could scarcely be 
saluted without the offensive smell of brandy. — 
Rapes and adulteries were authorized. Divorce 
was the natural consequence of marriage : they 
married to divorce, and divorced to marry again.* 
No sooner, therefore, was the Christian religion 
properly understood by the better sort of the heath- 
en, than they turned from dumb idols to serve the 
living and true God. They justly concluded those 

*Tcrtullian's Apology. 
II 2 



90 INTRODUCTION 

doctrines to be from heaven, which brought men in- 
to so near a resemblance of the divine original. If 
Christianity obtained in any city among a few faith- 
ful families, it was sure to prevail ; and frequently 
in a short time. In the commencement of the third 
century, Gregory Thaumaturgus came to Neo-Cse- 
saria, and found but seventeen Christians ; but af- 
ter labouring twenty-six years in that city, there 
remained no more than seventeen persons attached 
to the ancient idolatries. 

Christianity must have derived considerable as- 
sistance also from the many venerable and learned 
authors, who wrote in its defence, and attacked the 
superstition of the Gentiles. Their arguments could 
not fail to produce a luminous effect on the heathen 
reader. The victories they obtained when attacking 
idolatry, or refuting a pagan opponent, were decis- 
ive above all that fame can recount. It was com- 
mon for the heathen to reproach the Christians with 
the Galilean, and with his crucifixion. Here Ter- 
tullian retorts, and in their own humour : " Your 
gods," says he,* " are made out of old pots and 
kettles, and the only difference is the workmanship 
and consecration. If you expose us to tortures, 
your gods endure far greater. The carpenter must 
be guilty of profaneness and sacrilege before he 
can make a god. You fix us to crosses and gibbets, 
and which of your divinities does not endure similar 
severities 1 You murder us with swords and spears, 
but your own gods are treated far worse ; the axe, 
the saw, and the chisel are only some of the instru- 
ments of cruelty with which you torment them. — 
Our heads are severed from our bodies, but your 
gods have no heads till they are fastened on with 
solder or glue. You expose us to the flames, and 
there your idols are melted before they can assume 

*Apol. cap, xx. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 91 

the dignity of divinities. You condemn us to the 
mines, and from thence is dug the substance of your 
gods. You also banish us to some of those islands 
where some of your gods were born, and some were 
buried." 

VII. Persecution, contrary to all human estima- 
tion, contributed very much towards the general 
spread of the gospel. Christianity, unarmed and 
unprotected, for the space of two hundred and nine- 
ty years, combating the unabating malice of the 
Jews, the pride and scorn of the philosophers, sus- 
tained in some provinces eight, and in some eleven 
storms of imperial persecution. The pagan priests, 
actuated by jealousy and hatred, never ceased to 
solicit these persecutions ; and when earthquakes, 
plagues, or military disasters occurred, instead of 
bearing them as the visitations of providence on a 
guilty people, they never failed to enrage the popu- 
lace, by insinuating that the gods were angry be- 
cause the temples were deserted, and the Christians, 
instead of being thrown to the lions, received pro- 
tection. These were dreadful wonJs in the ears of 
an enraged populace, and they often caused them to 
pour their utmost fury on the unoffending church. 

At this period, attachment to the temples*, and pre- 
judices in favour of ancient superstition, were strong, 
and retarded many from hearing the gospel. Hence 
it pleased the wise and gracious God to permit the 
power and excellency of Christianity to be display- 
ed in the sufferings and martyrdom of the saints, 
that the heathens might believe. 

In the commencement of the later persecutions, 
many of the rich and weak professors of Christian- 
ity, fell from the faith, and offered incense to idols 
to save themselves and their property. This em- 
boldened the heathen, and grieved the faithful, but 
it did not intimidate them. The amphitheatre, the 
forum, or place where the Christians avowed their 



92 INTRODUCTION 

religion, was crowded with pagan spectators. Here 
they saw ecclesias'ics, laymen, and frequently del- 
icate women, brought before the magistrates, and 
every effort tried to induce them to renounce the 
Lord Jesus, and to offer incense to the emperor's 
statue, or to other idols. They saw them endure a 
series of tortures, the most ingenius that rage and 
cruelty could devise : tortures of burning, scourg- 
ing, or fractures, which were often protracted for 
several days. They saw the fortitude, meekness 
and patience with which the saints supported their 
sufferings, and heard the prayers they offered to 
God for their misguided persecutors, and for all the 
world. They saw the full triumph of the faith, 
which transported the sufferers to a contempt of 
death, and almost to an insensibility of bodily pain. 
They saw the utmost powers of earth and hell des- 
pised ; and a sight so divine could not be unpro- 
ductive of very extraordinary effects. One part of 
the multitude was mad with rage, and ascribed the 
fortitude of the martyrs to an unaccountable obsti- 
nacy. But those who were more judicious, and 
better disposed, regarded the martyrs in a different 
view. Seeing them renounce riches, liberty and 
life, sooner than their religion, by the worship of 
idols, commanded their admiration, and subdued 
their prejudices. 

They would no longer remain unacquainted with 
those divine doctrines which communicated to the 
sufferers a support more than human. The amia- 
ble, quiet, and industrious lives of the Christians, 
were contrasted with the ferocious dispositions of 
their persecutors ; and the happy death of the for- 
mer, with the miserable exit of the latter. The full 
and perfect light of revelation was opposed to the 
feeble glimmerings of pagan philosophy ; the purity 
and simplicity of the Christian worship were com- 
pared with the profane and superstitious rituals of 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 93 

'.he temples ; the reasonableness of approaching 
God by one Mediator, who associated in his adora- 
ble person the divine and human nature, was con- 
trasted with the multitude of gods who were once 
artists or princes. They unveiled the real face of 
Christianity, and acknowledged her original to be 
from heaven. 

It was, therefore, to promote the conversion of 
the heathen, that the Lord Jesus exposed his pre- 
cious members ; yea, the choice rams of his flock 
in sacrifice. The conversions made by the martyr- 
dom of a few faithful Christians were more than 
could have been made by a thousand homilies. 

It is worthy here to add, that in some cases of 
general carnage, in which the saints could not have 
glorified God in this manner by their death, he pre- 
served them by a particular providence. Previous- 
ly to the taking of Jerusalem by Titus, the Chris- 
tians were warned of God, with Simeon their bish- 
op, to flee to Pella beyond the Jordan. Also, when 
the Vandals under Alaric stormed the city of Rome, 
the Christians fled to their church, and the pagans 
to their temples. The barbarians pursued them, 
and spared neither age nor sex : but when they 
came to the church in which the Christians were as- 
sembled, they had not the power to hurt an individ- 
ual. These arc encouraging instances of God hav- 
ing scaled his servants, and vouchsafed to protect 
his church. The latter instance is successfully 
urged by Augustine, in his city of God, against pa- 
ganism, as a special interposition of providence in 
favour of Christianity. 

VIII. Having spoken concerning the sufferings of 
the saints, it is proper to add a few observations 
concerning the awful vengeance of God on their 
hardened persecutors. "With regard to the Jews, the 
crucifixion of Jesus, and the obstinate rejection of 
his gospel, when confirmed by a scries of miracles, 



94 INTRODUCTION 

were crimes which merited the most signal ven- 
geance of heaven. But that long suffering of God, 
which had borne with their fathers forty years in 
the wilderness, exercised its clemency towards them 
for the same number of years under the gospel 
economy. But the punishment of the guilty seems 
the heavier for being delayed. Having in the sev- 
entieth year of Christ, revolted against the Romans, 
they were shut up in Jerusalem, and sustained a 
most calamitous siege, in which eleven hundred 
thousand of them perished by the sword, the pesti- 
» knee, and famine. Those who survived, accord- 
ing to the words of Christ, were led away captive 
to all nations. Also, in the reign of Trajan, and of 
Adrian, his successor, they revolted again, under 
Barchocheva, a false Messiah, and massacred the 
Romans wherever their interest prevailed. They 
were infatuated to destruction. Adrian slew five 
hundred and eighty thousand of them in Judea, and 
seven hundred and twenty thousand more in the 
different provinces. He razed also the foundation 
of the temple, and caused a ploughshare to pass 
over it, Luke xxi. This was a striking accomplish- 
ment of our Saviour's prediction, and a luminous 
evidence of the truth of Christianity. Nor would 
the Christians be wanting .to notice it, and to draw 
a just and striking parallel between the sins and 
punishments of this hardened people. To these 
may be added, the diseases and calamities which 
God inflicted on Herod, on Maximian, on Valerian, 
and others, who had persecuted the church. He 
who toucheth Zion toucheth the apple of God's eye. 

JX, From these deplorable scenes of Pagan fu- 
ry, which threatened to exterminate the church, we 
are unexpectedly called to contemplate her sudden 
elevation to honour and influence, and to see her 
caressed, more than ever she had been despised. 

While the imperial sceptre was in the hands of 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 95 

heathen princes, Christianity had but a small pro- 
portion of the great and learned among its converts. 
Frequently exposed to provincial or general perse- 
cutions, or in constant apprehension from edicts 
unrepealed, its professors exceeded our conception 
in faith, purity, and love. The converts from pa- 
ganism embraced it from a conviction of its excel- 
lence, and at the risk of every worldly comfort.— 
They made the Lord their only hope, and gloried 
in suffering for his name. But the wise and right- 
eous God, who has invariably placed mankind in a 
state of probation, saw it meet at this period to re- 
verse the adversity of the saints, and give them the 
highest prosperity that the imperial authority and 
munificence could confer. 

Constantine, on his investment with the imperial 
diadem, had to contend with Maxentius, who had 
become a tyrant at Rome. When entering on the 
expedition, he was dubious from whom of the gods 
he should solicit assistance. He recollected that 
the pagan divinities had afforded no aid to the su- 
perstitious Dioclesian, while his father Constantius, 
who had renounced the mythology of the Greeks, 
prospered in all he did. Such was his state of mind 
when Providence confirmed to him this promise of 
Christ,—" ]f any man will do the will of my Father, 
he shall know of my doctrine, whether it be of 
God." 

One day in the afternoon, while marching with 
his army, there appeared a cross of light above the 
sun, with a pendant inscription, " conquer by this," 
which was distinctly seen by him and his soldiers. 
At night the Saviour appeared to him in a dream, 
and repeated the vision, and enjoined him to make 
a standard like the cross he had seen, which 
should be a pledge of victory to him in all his 
wars.* 

• Life of Constan. by Euseb. book i. chap, xxviii. to xxxi- 



96 INTRODUCTION 

Constantine having succeeded in destroying the 
tyrant, was the more confirmed in the faith of 
Christ, and instantly turned his whole attention to- 
wards the prosperity of the church and empire. He 
succeeded, also, in various expeditions against the 
barbarians in the north, who had committed depre- 
dations on the Roman territory. Licinius, who 
revoked against him in Asia, was vanquished and 
slain. By this last victory, the immense empire, 
extending from Britain and Spain to Egypt and 
Persia, fell under the auspices of his imperial 
sceptre. 

X. In ecclesiastic affairs he followed the advice 
of the clergy, and the clergy of that age were wor- 
thy of his confidence. All former edicts against 
the Christians were instantly repealed, and new 
ones issued in their favour as often as occasion re- 
quired. Edicts were issued soon after, prohibiting 
paganism, and commanding the demolition of the 
temples ; and in remote places, in which compli- 
ance was neglected, the soldiers marched and threw 
the edifice into a heap of ruins. If the antiquarian 
grieve at this, he should recollect that the Chris- 
tians had in view God's repeated injunctions to the 
Jews to destroy every vestage of idolatry. And 
having recently suffered so much from the heathens, 
it could scarcely be expected they would do other- 
wise. He erected churches in Constantinople and 
Jerusalem, which, if possible, exceed the temples 
in architectural magnificence. 

His liberality to the clergy corresponded with 
their indigence. Some of them he promoted to 
considerable offices of trust and dignity : and on 
their return from the council of Nice, every man 
had liberty to say what his wants were, and the 
sum was paid out of the imperial coffer. 

Socra. Eccles. Hist, book i. chap. ii. Eusebius positively af- 
firms, that he had this account From the emperor himself. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 97 

With regard to conversions, they were rapid and 
superficial ; but force was never applied. The 
church threw open her arms, and embraced the 
heathen on a mere change of opinions. The no- 
bility, of course, readily conformed to the religion 
of the court ; and last of all, the learned began to 
extol Christianity as the best and most sublime 
philosophy. 

Hymns and eulogies were immediately composed 
in honour of God, who had enabled his faithful 
church to war a victorious warfare against idolatry 
and vice. His awful justice was celebrated, which 
had exscinded those emperors and their families 
who had persecuted and wasted the flock. Those 
denunciations of God in the psalms and the proph- 
ets, were not unaptly applied to this destruction ; 
and those promises which belong exclusively to the 
latter day's glory, were applied at least in an en- 
couraging sense to this prosperous age. " Kings 
shall become thy nursing fathers, and queens thy 
nursing mothers. A little one shall become a thou- 
sand, and a strong one a great nation. He shall 
make thine enemies to be at peace with thee, and 
the sons of strangers shall build thy walls," Grat- 
itude and duty induced them to celebrate the vir- 
tues of Constantine. He was applauded in their 
sermons as the Christian Zorobabel, who had re* 
edified and protected the church and city of the liv- 
ing God. 



SECTION VI. 

OF THE APOSTACY OF THE CHURCH — THE ORIGIN AND PRO- 
GRESS OF THE ANTICHRISTIAN EMPIRE. 

From the general influx of the superstitious hea- 
then into the church, while under the patronage of 
Constantine, the worst of consequences might have 



93 INTRODUCTION 

been augued to the religion of Jesus Christ. The 
loss of discipline was attended with the loss of pie- 
ty ; and Zion, instead of continuing the beautiful gar- 
den of the Lord, became a deplorable waste. The 
full tide of imperial prosperity dazzled the Chris- 
tian teachers, when they should have rejoiced 
with trembling, and remembered that their mas- 
ter's kingdom, not being of this world, his church 
should have been augmented with real converts, 
not with pagan proselytes. We shall here trace 
the several steps of this apostacy, with a view to 
caution ourselves by the fall of others, 

I. The holy martyrs had always been reveren- 
ced ; the cemeteries which contained their tombs 
bad been frequented for devotion ; but the happiest 
way of honouring them, was to have imitated their 
piety. About the year 355, this honour was, in some 
places, extended to adoration. Churches were 
erected to their memory, and placed under their im- 
mediate protection. The walls were ornamented 
withj scripture pieces, for the instruction of those 
who could, not read, and the statue of the martyr 
was placed in a conspicuous situation. These ob- 
jects were instantly regarded with more than human 
reverence ; the people so recently accustomed to 
worship idols in the temples, were hereby seduced 
to transfer their superstition to the churches, and to 
bow before wood and stone, which could neither 
hear nor speak. This homage gave the glory of the 
infinite God to a finite creature, because it supposed 
the martyrs like the Deity, to fill both heaven and 
earth. The clergy instead of rending their gar- 
ments, as Paul and Silas at Lystra, and restraining 
the first appearance of this superstition, seem to 
have contemplated it with approbation. Relics, 
real or pretended, were collected with great avidity, 
and multitudes of miracles were feigned to be 
wrought at the tombs of the martyrs. In the schools, 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 09 

the lives of these venerable characters were given 
to the students for themes, with permission to add 
fable to truth ; and in a course of years, these 
legends were collected and palmed on the world as 
genuine histories. 

II. About the same time, considerable numbers of 
Christians adopted a monastic life: and piety, pre- 
fering the solitude of the deserts to the endearments 
of society, strongly marks the superstition and de- 
•generacy of the age. Ammon was the founder and 
father of the Egyptian monks.* This man having 
married a wife through the solicitation of his rela- 
tives, persuaded her on the evening after their mar- 
riage to adopt his mode of living. His modesty is 
said to have been so great, that he would not take 
off his clothes to pass a river. Another of these 
fathers usually took his food in his hand, and ate it 
walking : he thought that sitting down to dinner, 
looked as though he made eating and drinking a se- 
rious part of his employment. By habits of absti- 
nence and fasting, the quantity of bread and herbs 
on which they chiefly subsisted became incredibly 
small. Their hours of sleep were also restricted, 
and many of them observed the midnight hour of 
devotion. 

Companies of men, drying up their bodies by ab- 
stinence, and secluding themselves from riches and 
pleasures, could not fail to attract the veneration of 
a superstitious age. Monasteries and abbies were 
erected in every part of the Christian world, and by- 
successive grants and legacies of lands, many of 
them become exceedingly enriched. The founders 
of these religious institutions generally made choice 
of a situation capable of a high state of cultivation, 
and by their own industry turned the wild wastes 
into agreeable pleasure grounds, and fertile pas- 
tures. The nations, having at that time but little 

*Evagri. Eccl. Hist. Lib. i. cap. xxxi. 

LOf C. 



HO INTRODUCTION 

foreign trade, it was deemed highly meritorious to 
employ the poor, by raising in convenient places a 
temple to the living God, and a residence for his 
servants. Piety was undoubtedly their original 
motive, but it was singularly misapplied, and conse- 
quently failed in its effect. While the turbulent 
Cyril was bishop of Alexandria, we find these peace- 
ful monks easily seduced to leave their cells, and 
shed blood in the factions of that city. A life of ho- 
liness must associate with a life of usefulness.—* 
Hence it would have been far better for them to 
have lived in the equitable discharge of relative du- 
ties, and, like the holy prophets, to have struggled 
with the vices of their age. 

III. The large and frequent schisms, which hap- 
pened in the third and fourth centuries, and the 
crimes with which they charged one another, are a 
partner proof of the degeneracy of the Christian 
church. Cyprian has written a beautiful treatise on 
the unity of the church throughout the world, and it 
were to have been wished, that his own age, and the 
ages which followed, had realized his doctrine as 
much as those which preceded. But while one 
man is pious, and another wicked, sacred union can- 
not subsist; while one Christian conscientiously 
adheres to the laws of faith, and another openly 
violates them, the peace of the church is destroyed. 
The Roman Catholics have indeed boasted of their 
unity, and of the succession of their bishops, not 
only from Peter, but from Adam. And what church 
was ever more divided in opinions, or what secta- 
rians were ever so intolerant to one another, as the 
fraternities which composed that church? It is the 
corruption and tyranny which have occasioned 
schisms, and made them become a necessary evil. 
80 early as the year 200, Victor, bishop of Rome, 
excommunicated the eastern world of Christians, 
because they did not keep the festival of Easter on 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 10S 

the same day as the western churches ; and if a cir- 
cumstance so inconsiderable occasioned so great a 
rent, we should not be surprised at the schisms 
which followed. 

With regard to those sects or heresies of the 
purer ages, we should be aware, that our informa- 
tion concerning their lives and opinions is derived 
from those who wrote against them ; and writers in 
that situation are not entitled to implicit confidence. 
The Ebionites, Gnostics, and others, who induced 
many weak Christians to apostatize in the first and 
second centuries, seem to have been philosophical 
societies, who paid some kind of worship to the 
Deity, and received such parts of the sacred scrip- 
tures as coincided with their favorite opinions. — 
But having no proper code of discipline, we may 
reasonably believe their morals were very much 
depraved. 

IV. Previous to the Dioclesian persecution, the 
churches had enjoyed repose for forty years, and 
had been increased by a new generation, not inured, 
like their fathers, to suffer for righteousness' sake. 
No sooner were the edicts published for every per- 
son to sacrifice to the gods, and to honour, that is, 
worship the emperor's statue, than crowds of Chris- 
tians in every city apostatized to save their lives 
and property. The lapsed, on the return of peace, 
emboldened by their numbers, became clamorous 
with the bishops and confessors to be restored to 
the peace of the church. When the lapsed of Car J 
thage addressed Cyprian on this subject, he replied 
in a very paternal manner, and agreeably to the 
usage of the church. He acquainted them with his 
grief, on hearing that the high road to Carthage was 
thronged with Christians to offer incense ; but, that 
he was willing to admit them as soon as their course 
of penance waj performed, and to admit them be- 
fore would do them no good : and he blamed the 



102 INTRODUCTION 

confessors who had been induced to grant the peace 
of the church prematurely to some, as more com- 
passionate than wise. 

Cornelius, bishop of Rome, took a quite different 
course ; setting aside the ancient discipline of pen- 
ance, he admitted the lapsed at once ; and wrote 
letters to Gaul, to Asia, and Egypt, to do the same. 
This occasioned a schism at Rome. The poor who 
had saved their souls by fidelity, separated from the 
rich, who had saved their estates by apostacy. — 
Novatus, and five more presbyters of Rome, es- 
poused their cause, and wrote letters to all the 
churches concerning the steps they had taken. — 
Schims were consequently occasioned in Byzanti- 
um, now Constantinople, in Alexandria, and in all 
those churches in which the apostolic discipline 
was superseded. The Catharians, or ancient Puri- 
tans, every where united with the Novatians, and 
that sect became great and flourishing for several 
ages. Theodosius, the pious emperor, seems to 
have entertained a high regard for them and to have 
conferred many favours on their bishops, because 
they were peaceful subjects, and adhered to the 
irue faith, that Christ is one substance with the 
Father. 

Schism, it must be acknowledged, is a deplorable 
evil, to which recourse should never be had, but in 
the foulest cases, where conscience is deeply con- 
cerned, and where redress cannot be obtained.— 
And even in those sad cases, men should be cau- 
tious how they proceed : it is often better to bear 
one evil than occasion many. We cannot view this 
great sect without emotions of anxiety. They were 
exposed to the fury of the heathen, on the one hand, 
which sometimes extended to martyrdom, and to un- 
kind offices of those Christians from whom they had 
separated. Surely nothing could have induced 
them to do this, but a tender conscience. Indeed, 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 103 

it does not appear that the Novatians had any al- 
ternative, but either to separate or be corrupted, 
and no consideration can compensate for the loss of 
purity. 

Much as the circumstances which led to the No- 
vatian schism are to be deplored, in the next age a 
rent of a far more awful nature divided the church 
at large. The influx of the heathen into the church, 
during the reign of Constantine, has been already 
noticed ; and it was not long before she had severe- 
ly to repent of her incaution in having opened her 
bosom to a multitude of unregenerate children. — 
Arius, a presbyter of Alexandria, published to the 
world, that Jesus Christ was but a creature, though 
the first and highest of all created spirits, lie 
seems to have been led into this error by some un- 
guarded discourse of his bishop, and following the 
Septuagint's corrupt translation of Proverbs viii. 22. 
*' the Lord possessed me," which the seventy read, 
" eWnte'jiae. The Lord created me in the beginning 
of his ways." And admitting the Septuagint were 
a true reading, it was very preposterous to rest so 
weighty a doctrine on a single text. When seek- 
ing tiie truth, we should humbly follow the general 
scope of revelation. Some of the ancient Chris- 
tians really understood this passage to speak of the 
Logos, or word, which was made flesh ; but others 
regarded it only as a grand personification of the 
divine wisdom, which could no more be created 
than the only begotten of the Father. 

This controversy was as delicate as interesting ; 
for the incomprehensible nature of God cannot be 
defined. " Now we see through a glass darkly ;" 
that is, by analogy — by the reverence we owe to 
an earthly father, we are taught to reverence our 
Father who is in heaven ; and by the idea of an 



104 INTRODUCTION 

earthly sovereign, we contemplate and worship the 
Sovereign Majesty of the universe, 

" What can we reason but from what we know." 

The Logos, therefore, is not understood to be 
begotten of the Father, as in human procreation ; 
he is the brightness, or beaming forth of his glory, 
and the express image of his person. 

On this subject, the Arians displayed a wanton 
wit. They appealed to reason, as though reason 
had been competent to decide, that a father must be 
older than his son, that three persons could not be 
one person. But the Catholics appealed to the di- 
vine scriptures, that the doctrine of the one true and 
eternal God, was there copiously revealed under the 
persons and names of Father, Son, and Spirit. The 
doctrine implied no absurdity by being incapable 
of definition ; and it was as impossible for the Ari- 
an, and Socinian, to define the nature of God, as 
the Christian to define the existence of the godhead. 
It discovers a most delightful sociality in the Deity, 
and shines forth with peculiar glory in the human 
redemption. " God was in Christ reconciling the 
world unto himself; by whom we have access to 
the Father, through the Spirit. If any man keep 
my word, the Father and 1 will love him, and we 
will come unto him, and make our abode with him, 
I will pray the Father, and he shall give you anoth- 
er Comforter that he may abide with you for ever. 
Know ye not, that your bodies are the temples of 
the Holy Ghost ? And if any man defile the temple 
of God, him shall God destroy. Eye hath not seen, 
ear hath not heard, neither have entered the heart 
of man, the things that God hath prepared for them 
that love him. But God hath revealed them to us 
by his Spirit ; for the Spirit, revealeth all things ; 
yea, the deep things of God. ,J 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 105 

The doctrine of the Trinity, or godhead, super- 
sedes all imaginary demonstrations of its absurdity, 
by its perfect unity. This renders our addresses 
to each of the triune God, proper and perfectly safe. 
When we address the Father, we worship the God 
who made the world ; when we address the Son, 
we worship the same Creator and Lord, John i. 3. 
And when we address the Holy Spirit, we worship 
him who moved on the face of the great deep, who 
regenerates our nature, and who shall quicken our 
mortal bodies. Hence the doctrine is scriptural, 
and free from all absurdity. But Arianism implies 
absurdities both real and blasphemous : that the 
Logos, a creature, is the express image of God ; 
that a creature created all creatures ; that he re- 
ceives the incommunicable names of God without 
horror ; that he upholdeth all things by the word of 
his power ; and that he thought it no robbery to be 
equal with God! ! ! 

But the disputes were not confined to the clergy ; 
the laboring people were seen disputing in the 
streets and markets on these sublime topics, and 
sometimes ready to fight. Sad signs that piety had 
lost her influence in the church. 

To compose these troubles, Constantine conven- 
ed the celebrated council of Nice, which consisted 
of three hundred and eighteen bishops, and more 
than that number of priests and deacons. Here 
they established the Homoousian faith, that the Son 
is one substance with the Father; which term be- 
came for the future, a test-zvord, and formed an in- 
superable barrier against the inundation of error. 

After the death of Constantine, the succeeding 
emperor was persuaded by a priest to embrace the 
errors of Arius, and to give his followers possession 
of most of the churches in Asia and Egypt. The 
Arians possessed the churches in Constantinople 
also for the space of forty years. But the Homo- 



106 INTRODUCTION 

ousian faith finally prevailed, and it will ever pre- 
vail while the scriptures are considered as the word 
of God. In Alexandria, Athanasius stood like a 
rock ; and though he was banished three times, and 
loaded with calumnies without number, nothing 
could move him from the truth. In Gaul and the 
west, the Arians could do nothing ; the churches 
being warned on the commencement of the contro- 
versy, to hold fast the pure apostolic faith, as once 
delivered to the saints. 

In the issue, the Arians quarrelled and divided 
among themselves on this curious question, whether 
the Father could be called Father before the crea- 
tion of the Son ? And after troubling the church 
three hundred years, these sects were totally sup- 
pressed. 

O blessed and adorable Lord Jesus ! hast thou 
condescended to assume our frail humanity, and to 
officiate as our prophet, priest, and king ; and have 
men, seeing thee in the form of a servant, and in 
these subordinate offices, overlooked thy divine 
character, and withheld the homage due to thy eter- 
nal majesty ? Pity their weakness, enlighten their 
minds, and pardon their sin, for they know not what 
they do. Letjthe-4Uttromation of thy Holy Spirit 
so irradiate our minds, that in seeing thee we may 
see the Father also. " O holy, blessed, and glori- 
ous Trinity, three persons and one God, have mercy 
upon us, miserable sinners. Let it please thee to 
bring into the way of truth all such as have erred 
and are deceived ; that we may worship thy name 
ever one God, world without end!" Amen. 

Before the propagation of the gospel, the world 
abounded, even as now, with religious opinions. — 
The Jews, philosophers, and pagans were divided 
into sects which combated one another's opinions* 
Our knowledge is so circumscribed, and our re- 
searches after truth so slow and imperfect, that we 



TO CHRISTIANITY, 107 

cannot help variety of opinion with regard both to 
the study of nature and of revelation. In this view 
mental errors are entitled to the same compassion 
as blindness and lameness in the body. 

In the first three centuries, ecclesiastic history 
has enumerated eighty sects that troubled the 
church ; and in the fourth and fifth centuries near 
fifty more. But some of these had but a short ex- 
istence, and scarcely extended themselves beyond 
the limits of a city. The Novatians and Arians 
were probably five times more numerous than all 
the others. The pious Montanists, Cataphrygians, 
as well as the Catharians, seem to have united with 
the Novatians, which was one cause why that sect 
became so great. Many of the sectarians united 
also with the Arians. 

V. We shall next consider the general apostacy 
and corruption of the clergy ; and true piety would 
wish to draw the veil of oblivion over so painful a 
subject. This being impossible, it becomes our 
duty to derive the best instruction we can from the 
desolation which sin hath made in the sanctuary of 
God. 

The disciples, unacquainted with the nature of 
their master's kingdom, contended who should be 
greatest. Jesus, knowing the consequences of this 
evil, destroyed it by the root. He took "a little 
child, and set him in the midst of them, and said, 
verily I say unlo you, except ye be converted, and 
become as little children, ye shall not enter into 
the kingdom of heaven. The kings of the Gentiles 
exercise lordship, and are called benefactors. It 
shall not be so with you ; but he that is greatest 
among you, let him be as the younger, and he that 
is chief, as he that doth serve," Luke xxii. 24, 25. 
26. 

These solemn instructions the apostles never for- 
got : the unity and comfort of Christian society 



108 INTRODUCTION 

were involved in keeping them. The church at 
Jerusalem they govern as a council of brethren, and 
with the advice of the people, Acts xv. 22. St. Paul 
having succeeded in planting churches in most of 
the great cities of Asia and Greece, ordained a pro- 
per number of pastors in each church, whom he 
sometimes calls bishops, and sometimes presbyters. 
That the office of bishop and presbyter differed but 
in age and honor, fully appears from the following 
scriptures. 

Paul and Barnabas "return again to Lystra, and 
Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the 
disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith. 
And when they had ordained them presbyters in 
every church, they prayed with fasting, and com- 
mended them to the Lord, on whom they believed," 
Acts xiv. 21,23. 

From Miletus, Paul sent for the presbyters of 
Ephesus, and in giving them a solemn charge he 
said, " take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to 
all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made 
you bishops," Acts xx. 28. 

" Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus 
Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at 
Philippi, with the bishops and deacons," Phil. i. 1. 

Hence we may fairly conclude, that the office of 
a bishop was but another name for the office of a 
presbyter ; otherwise they had many bishops in 
this churchj but no presbyters. 

" For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou 
shouldst set in order the things that are wanting, 
and ordain presbyters in every city, as I appointed 
thee. If any man be blameless, the husband of one 
wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot, 
or unruly : for a bishop must be blameless, as the 
steward of God," Titus i. 5, 6, 7. 

" The presbyters which are among you I exhort, 
who am also a presbyter, and a witness of the suf- 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 109 

ferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory 
that shall be revealed : feed the flock of God which 
is among you, performing the office of bishops," 1 
Peter v. 1, 2.- The evasive manner in which these 
texts have been translated, shows how much the 
lovers of episcopacy are terrified at the idea of hav- 
ing many bishops in one city ; of St. Peter calling 
himself a presbyter ; and bidding presbyters per- 
form the office of bishops. 

This was ecclesiastical polity in the age of un- 
corrupted simplicity. The presbyters, qualified by 
the Holy Ghost, instructed the church, and labour- 
ed at their trades to support their families ; for the 
church, in many places, was so small and poor, that 
it could not support its itinerant ministers. "Among 
the ancients," says Jerome, " bishops and presby- 
ters were the same, the one being a name of digni- 
ty, the other of age."* 

In a course of years, and even before the death of 
St. John, talents, experience, and age, had made 
considerable distinction among the presbyters ; and 
he, who was best qualified, had gradually been call- 
ed to a principal share in managing the church in 
every city. After this distinction, the apellations 
of bishop and presbyter, which had been promiscu- 
ously given to all the ministers, became appropri- 
ate. The senior or presiding was called bishop, 
and those ministers who assisted him, if he had any 
assistants, were called presbyters. These distinc- 
tions having obtained in the great churches first, 
spread throughout the Christian world. 

These remarks are not intended to depreciate pri- 
mitive episcopacy, or to serve a party interest ; they 
intend no more than the investigation of truth on a 
controverted subject. Nothing could be more ami- 

* Quanquam apud vetercs iidem cpiscopi et presbyteri fue- 
rint ; quia illud nomen dignitas est, hoc setati*. Hieron. ep« 
S3, ad Ocean. Tom. 2. 



110 INTRODUCTION 

able than to see a venerable pastor at the head of 
the church in every large town, and governing it 
with the advice of his brethren and the people : so 
Cyprian and the other good bishops governed their 
churches. Their age and office, combined with a 
life of usefulnesSj conferred on them a salutary influ- 
ence in composing the differences and rectifying the 
faults of their flock. 

Some great evils* however undersigned, were the 
consequence of this innovation* Those good men 
who had imitated the apostles in their itinerancy, 
and successfully planted and nourished the church- 
es, soon desisted from their extensive labors ; ancl 
the edification of the churches was as much an ob- 
ject of St. Paul's travels as the planting them, 
Rom. i. 7—15. 

Experience soon discovered another evil, too 
difficult to be removed. Whenever a bishop be- 
came imperious or corrupt, he could seldom be 
deposed without a schism* Besides, the council 
of bishops, usually convened on such occasions, 
was ever solicitious to enlarge rather than to curtail 
the rights of episcopacy. Corruption having once 
obtained, soon secured itself a prevailing interest* 

But the clergy were not long content with the sim- 
ple distinction of bishop, presbyter and deacon. 
When disputes arose, it was usual for the bishop 
of a small town to ask advice of the bishop of the 
metropolis, who had many clergymen, and whose 
advice would be regarded as wise and weighty* 
This was highly proper, and often productive of 
happy effects; However, after the bishops of 
great cities were invested with civil authority, they 
claimed this right of advising and controlling the 
country bishops, as the prerogative of their sees. 
Hence originated the order of archbishops, and 
soon after the order of patriarchs. From this pe* 



TO CHRISTIANITY. Ill 

riod, the church was governed, as the kings of the 
Gentiles govern their kingdoms. 

VI. Having distinguished the clergy from the 
laity, I feel it a duty to bring forward an observa- 
tion, that the liberty of the prophesying both in the 
Jewish and in the Christian church, was never de- 
nied to laymen whose piety and abilities were ap- 
proved. By the gift of the Holy Ghost, all believ- 
ers were constituted the sons of God, and brethren, 
of Christ. He had washed them from their sins in. 
his own blood, and made them kings and priests to 
God. They were a chosen generation, and a royal 
priesthood. But many of the gifted men were so 
encumbered with families and business, that, they 
could not be wholly devoted to the work, and it 
would have been wrong to have suppressed their 
talents, Rom. xii. 3. 

In the church of Corinth, and no doubt in all the 
great churches, they enjoyed the liberty of instruct- 
ing the people. Saint Paul expresses his approba- 
tion of these meetings, by exhorting them to pre- 
serve order. " If any man speak in an unknown 
tongue, let it be by two, or at most by three, and 
that by course, and let one interpret. For ye may 
all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and aril 
be comforted," 1 Cor. xii. 14. 

The liberty of what is now termed lay-preaching 
was not wholly lost in the time of Origen. Evelpis 
was invited to preach by Neon, bishop of Laranda, 
Paulinus by Celsus, bishop of lconium ; and Theo- 
dorus by Atticus, bishop of Synnada. These in- 
stances are urged in defence of the bishops of Syria, 
who had permitted Origen to preach. He was a 
deacon and catechist, but the above were only lay- 
men.* Of this expiring liberty we hear no more; 
it was soon monopolized by the priesthood. But 

* £uscb. Hist. Ecc,Jes. lib. 6. cap. xix. 



J 12 INTRODUCTION 

the reader will perceive, that if laymen of talents 
were so useful in the primitive church, it is the duty 
of such characters to exert themselves now in the 
same way for the conversion of their neighbours ; 
especially every man should officiate as a teacher 
in his own house. 

VII. We shall next consider the loss of liberty 
in the primitive church, with regard to her unlimit- 
ed power of choosing pastors. By the desire of 
St. Peter, the church of Jerusalem chose seven 
men to take care of their widows and the indigent, 
who could be useful to their souls as well as to their 
bodies. Fabian, a layman, was elected Bishop of 
Rome by the whole congregation, a dove having 
descended on his head at the moment when they 
were divided in their choice.* Spyridon, a poor 
shepherd, was exalted at once, on account of his pi- 
ety, to be bishop of a city.t Frumentius, a layman 
also, by the advice of Athanasius, was made bishop 
over some Indians, to whom he had been useful.^ 
Ambrose, when only a eatechuman and unbaptized, 
was elected bishop of Milan. § In general, a church 
elected a man of its own community, but they were 
not obliged to do so. — John Chrysostom, presbyter 
of Antioch, whose eloquence was never exceeded, 
was elected to the see of Constantinople. 

The first Christian emperor who had liberally 
supplied the wants of the clergy, promoted many of 
them to considerable offices of trust and dignity, 
and enriched the churches with the spoils of pagan- 
ism, had undesignedly caused the episcopal chair 
to become an object highly flattering to ambition. 
From this period, the election of a bishop instead 
of being preceded by fasting and prayer, and every 
man voting from his heart, often exhibited shame- 

* Euseb. Hist. Ecclos. lib. 6. cap. xxix. f Socra. Hist. 
Eccles. lib. 1 . cap. xii. t Ibid. cap. six. ? Ibid. lib. 4. cap. xxx. 



TO CHRISTIANITY, 113 

ful scenes of noise and riot. The people had no 
longer any occasion to drag the timorous shepherd 
from his closet to the church ; there were generally 
two or more competitors. In Alexandria, and in 
Rome, blood has been shed on those occasions. — 
The contest between Damasus and Ursicinus for 
the Roman see, was so great, that one hundred and 
thirty-seven dead bodies were found in the place 
in which the Christians had assembled.* Julian 
permitted the prelates to contend in the palace be- 
fore the populace, well knowing that the beasts 
were not so fierce against man, as some of these 
Christians were outrageous against one another.! 

These riotous elections, and the consequent ap- 
peals to the emperor, soon annihilated the people's 
liberty. Theodosius, the younger, under a pre- 
tence of. preventing a riot, interposed the imperial 
power, and nominated a bishop for Constantinople, 
So high a precedent could not be unnoticed* In a 
little time the kings of Europe did the same. And 
when the Christian world was divided into parishes, 
the barons exercised the same power over the 
churches, which sovereigns did over the sees, — 
The house of God was not more exempt from vil- 
lanage than the people. Thus the degenerate 
Christians let their most sacred privileges slip out 
of their hands, and were compelled to receive a 
minister nominated by an individual, however con- 
trary to their inclination. We cannot but shed a 
tear for this total loss of primitive liberty, and of 
primitive love. But the glory of the Lord having 
in some sort departed from the sanctuary, ecclesi- 
astic affairs were scarcely an object of the people's 
regard. 

VIIL The Christian priesthood being now es- 
tablished, and protected by princes and nobles, the 

* Ammianus, lib. 27- f Ibid. lib. 26. 

k2 



1 14 INTRODUCTION 

clergy no longer sought promotion by cultivating 
popular talents, but by paying their court to great 
men ! and in fact, forced their way to the sanctuary 
by simony or secular interests. They thought of 
little but preferment, and of increasing their reve- 
nues, sometimes by pious frauds, and sometimes by 
open force. The worship of the martyrs was at 
first connived at, and presently defended, because 
it brought the clergy abundance of offerings. It is, 
however, a duty to observe, that the clergy were 
not agreed on this subject. Image worship was op- 
posed by a council at Constantinople, and at Ephe- 
sus, and, so late as the year seven hundred, by a 
council at Frankfort. 

IX. It might have been easily conjectured, that 
the use of gowns for the clergy would speedily be 
introduced, because both the pagan and Jewish 
priests officiated in flowing robes. But this custom, 
we are told, was first derived from the philosophers, 
who lectured in a pall. The fathers seem unwilling 
to have it said, that it was derived from the ancient 
priests. However, several bishops in the second 
century peremptorily refused to wear it. Constan- 
tine presented a pall to the bishop of Jerusalem, 
woven with threads of gold, in which he performed 
the divine service.* About the same time, a great 
number of bishops attended the dedication of the 
church of Tyre, in flowing robes. This marks the 
fondness of the clergy and monks for worldly hon- 
ours. They now began to introduce many childish 
imitations of the magnificence of the Jewish worship, 
and of the pagan superstition ; and to enforce the 
observance of them as essential to salvation. 

X. Those who now officiated in the sanctuary, 
being destitute of extempore gifts, had recourse to 
liturgies, and many of them to the pitiful method of 

* Tlieod. Hist. Eccles. lib. 2. cap. xxvii. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. U 5 

reading sermons ; an indulgence which should be 
allowed to feeble ministers only. That the church 
of Carthage used no suck liturgy, is plain enough 
from a passage of Cyprian on the Lord's prayer. 

" Et quando in unum cum fratribus convenimus, 
et sacnficia Divina cum Dei sacerdote celebramus, 
verecundiae et discipline memores esse debemus.' 
Non passim ventilare preces nostras inconditis vo- 
cibis, nee petitionem commendandam modeste deo, 
tumuituosa loquacitate jactare, quia Deus non vocis' 
sed cordis auditor est." This passage relates ex- 
pressly to the public worship ; and if it were con- 
ducted according to a precribed form, what need to 
caution them against a noisy redundancy of words? 
With regard to preaching, we may farther add, 
that the primitive fathers were not confined to the 
manuscript, because their homilies and sermons 
abound with remarks, which could be suggested in 
the pulpit only. This is illustrated by the case of 
the mild and learned Atticus, bishop of Constanti- 
nople. When he was made a presbyter, he could 
not preach extempore; but composed his ser- 
mons, and committed them to memory ; and then 
repeated them in the church. By this assiduity he 
soon acquired the talent of extempore preaching-.* 
These facts are not adduced to depreciate the 
real excellence of liturgies, or to recommend the to- 
tal disuse of prescribed forms, but from an apprehen- 
sion that they have been productive of fatal effects 
to vital godliness. The least evil arising from 
them is, the obligation they impose on able minis- 
ters to suppress their talents. No sooner were 
these indulgences allowed, than the mere reader 
became qualified to feed the flock ; yea, and the 
dissipated youth could breathe a moment from his 

* Socrat. Hist, Eccles. lib. 7. cap. ii, 



1 16 INTRODUCTION 

career of pleasure, and move the machine of public 
worship with a dexterous hand. 

XL We shall next consider the clerical or anti- 
christian empire which God permitted to arise and 
punish the apostacy of the church. It has already 
been noticed, that Constantine conferred on the 
bishops many places of trust and dignity. This 
constituted them rulers of the state, and the pastoral 
simplicity soon degenerated into political subtlety. 
We have noticed, also, the manner in which the me- 
tropolitans and patriarchs obtained the ascendancy 
over their brethren in the country. From that pe- 
riod the great bishops seem to have looked wish- 
fully at a power similar to the Jewish high-priest, 
who sometimes governed the whole nation. 

Provincial and general councils were frequently 
called, for the management of the church and the 
suppression of heresies. But whatever was the oc- 
casion of any council, the rights of the priesthood 
were always guarded, and new canons made, which 
were binding to the emperor as well as to his sub- 
jects. In a little time the canons became so vol- 
uminous and contradictory, that no man could ac- 
quire a perfect knowledge of them. 

XII. The first object on which the priesthood 
displayed its secular power, was the pious Nova- 
T ians, and other religious sects. However, the an- 
cients were not wholly intolerant. When Atticus 
had ascended the patriarchal chair of Constantino- 
ple, he commenced a persecution against the sects ; 
but finding it. productive of no good effects, he wise- 
ly changed his measures, and treated them with 
great lenity. 

In Egypt the persecution was severe. Theodo- 
sius, bishop of Synnada, was furious against here- 
tics ; sometimes he prosecuted them in the courts 
of justice, and sometimes assailed them by an arm- 
ed force. Cyril, patriarch of Alexandria, did the 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 117 

same. He took a military force and shut up the 
Novatian churches, took away the sacred vessels, 
and deprived Theopemtus, their bishop, of all his 
property.* 

The pontiff of Rome, it could scarcely be expect- 
ed, would be less active in subjects of this nature, 
than his cotemporarics. Innocervt the first, depri- 
ved the Novatians, at a stroke, of all their churches. 
But his triumph was short; for Alaric, king of the 
Goths, took the city by storm, and made a terrible 
carnage among the senators and people. By this 
calamity the Novatians regained the peaceable pos- 
session of their churches. This persecution was as 
impolitic as unjust, because it disunited the citizens. 
Had Innocent displayed the mildness of Atticus, it 
would probably have saved the city. About twen- 
ty years after this, Celestine the first, once more 
totally deprived them of their religious liberties. 

The Novatians in Constantinople, after a long re- 
pose, were persecuted by the unhappy Nestorius. 
He was promoted from the see of Antioch, by the 
command of Theodosius the younger. In his first 
sermon he discovered the temper of the dignified 
clergy of that age. " Give me, O emperor," said 
he, " the earth cleared of heretics, and 1 in re- 
turn will give you heaven : assist me in destroying 
the sects, and I will assist you in subduing the Per- 
sians." The young emperor complied with the fa- 
vourite patriarch, and deprived the Novatians of 
their churches. The bishops of Asia proceeded 

linst them in the same manner. Anthony, bish- 
op of Germa, was exceedingly severe, and wearied 
out their patience by his cruelty. At length one 
of the sufferers, forgetting the spirit of the gospel 
had the temerity to assassinate him. Nestorius al- 
so soon received his reward. By following hi 

* ^ocrn.t- Hist. Eccles. li'>. X cap. vii-. 



118 INTRODUCTION 

friend Anastasius in separating the divine and hu- 
man nature of Christ, he filled the church with tu- 
mult, and was deposed and banished from the city.* 
XIII. Among the patriarchs who claimed eccle- 
siastic sovereignty, the bishop of Rome was fore- 
most. He was emboldened to this by his situation 
in the imperial city, which for ages had accounted 
herself the mistress of the world. He founded his 
claim on Matthew xvi. 18. He argued, that the 
Lord here constituted Peter the rock and head of 
die church ; that he invested him with power to 
forgive sins, and to bind and loose the souls of men 
in purgatory ; (a place which has no existence, for 
the souls of departed men go immediately either to 
heaven or hell,) The pontiff further alleged, that 
he was invested, as St. Peter's successor, with in- 
fallible power to judge and determine all causes 
and controversies which concerned the church. — 
But the Lord did not say that he would build the 
church on frail Peter ; he alluded to the eternal 
rock which the name Peter expressed. Upon this 
Petram, as Cyprian quotes it, and only upon this, 
he has built His church. The power of remitting 
sins was given to all the apostles as well as Peter : 
and it signified no more than the power of applying 
the promises of pardon and comfort to the penitent. 
Hence Peter referred Simon Magus to his maker : 
" Pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart 
may be forgiven thee," Acts viii. 22. The Roman 
pontiff was no more the successor of this apostle 
than the bishop of Jerusalem, or the bishop of any 
other city in which Peter had preached. Still, in 
defiance of shame and all refutation, the pontificate 
has uniformly asserted its sovereignty and infalli- 
bility of judgment. 

* Socrat, Hist. Eccles. lib. 7. cap. xxvii. to xxxiv. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 119 

After the publication of these haughty doctrines, 
deposed bishops generally appealed to Rome, and 
provided they acknowledged the supremacy of that 
see, they were sure to find an asylum, whatever 
were their crimes or their real opinions. This gave 
such umbrage, that Rome was frequently called, 
14 the impious refuge of the clergy." 

Rome having published the supremacy of her 
pontificate, supported it with incredible confidence. 
Every quarrel which happened between princes, 
was embraced as a -happy occasion to extend its 
sovereignty, by espousing the cause of the strong- 
est prince. But after all, it was not till the com- 
mencement of the eleventh century, that she could, 
in a proper sense, be said to have realized her pre- 
tensions over the west. From this period the cata- 
logue of excommunicated emperors and kings be- 
came very large. If the decretals of his holiness 
were not carried into immediate effect, he would lay 
an interdict on the whole kingdom, which blas- 
phemously interrupted the worship of Almighty 
God, and enjoined the subjects to rebel against 
their lawful sovereign. The pontificate made no 
scruple to deluge whole kingdoms in blood, in sup- 
port of its supremacy. Boniface VIII. boldly de- 
creed, that no human creature could be saved, un- 
less he became subject to the see of Rome.* After 
this, the adage was in every one's mouth, " there is 
no salvation out of the church." 

The erroneous doctrines of the pontificate, it may 
uniformly be observedj tended either to extend its 
sovereignty, or to augment its revenues. On the 
supremacy was founded the claim of investiture 
to all ecclesiastical preferments. This brought the 
papal see a vast influx of wealth by simony. But 

* Porro subesse Romano Pontifici orani humanse creatune 
declaramus, dicimus, defmimns, et pronunciaraus oranino esse 
de necessitate salutis. 



120 INTRODUCTION 

the kings could never be prevailed upon to yield 
more than a partial submission to this enormous' 
claim. The doctrine of the two swords, so warmly 
debated when first advanced, was founded on a mu- 
tilation of our Saviour's words to Peter, " put up 
thy sword." By this his holiness inferred, the ne«- 
cessity of having both a temporal and a spiritual 
sword. The former, by regular forces and cru- 
sades of pilgrims to fight against heretics ; and 
the latter to denounce anathemas against the in- 
corrigible. But the main payt of the text was 
omitted, " they that take the sword shall perish by 
the sword." Hereby the pontiff associated in his 
own person the high offices of Moses and Aaron, 
and aided by seventy cardinals, in imitation of the 
seventy elders, or the seventy disciples, reigned as 
a god in the universal church. The doctrine of in- 
fallibility, brought litigated causes into the papal 
court, in the form of an appeal ; and he whose cause 
was wanting in equity, would not be defective in 
bribes. The worship of saints brought crowds of 
pilgrims annually to particular churches ; and in 
paying their devotion, they did not appear before 
the Lord empty. The doctrines of penance and 
absolution, of auricular confession, at least once a 
year, and th'e sale of indulgences and dispensa- 
tions, to live in fornication or adultery, were 
equally productive to every description of the 
clergy. Of the same description, are the doctrines 
of purgatory ; masses for the dead ; and the keys, 
or power of binding and loosing in heaven. They 
produced a terrific effect on the minds of dying peo- 
ple, and often induced them to wrong their children 
by donations to the church. The doctrine of tran- 
substantiation, or power of changing the bread and 
wine into the real body and blood of Christ by con- 
secration, operated as the sacramental seal to all 
Xhe preceding errors. Perhaps the age will come 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 121 

when it will scarcely be credited that ever a mortal, 
priest presumed to create his immortal Saviour. — 
Error and interest being here so artfully combined, 
it will easily be perceived that the pontificate could 
never be reformed by argument. A good man had 
no opening but to enter his closet, and weep for the 
desolations of the sanctuary. 

It should, however, be observed, in honour of,the 
ancients, that each of these errors was warmly con- 
troverted. The priests, finding their antagonists as- 
sail them with arguments from the primitive fathers, 
were assiduous to interpolate those venerable works 
with sentiments in favour of these lucrative errors, 
and to suppress all those passages which militated 
against them. Daille, a French protestant minis- 
ter of incomparable learning, has largely proved, 
in his treatise on the right use of the fathers, that 
none of their writings have escaped corruption. — 
The sacred scriptures also did not escape their sac- 
rilegious hands ; and in very many passages, though 
sure of detection, for this book was diffused in lan- 
uages and nations far beyond the influence of Rome, 
hey particularly suppressed the second command* 
ment, and divided the tenth into two, to keep up the 
number in the decalogue. But the political state 
of the world favoured the introduction of the papal 
errors. The disorganization of the ancient em- 
pire permitted the northern nations to pour forth in 
successive armies over all Europe : they overturned 
governments, destroyed learning, and gradually 
changed the language of whole kingdoms. The 
dark ages ensued, and the people were left en- 
tirely in the hands of the clergy. The irruption of 
these nations must be regarded as the scourge of 
Almighty God on his apostate and carnal church. 
The same may be observed with regard to the suc- 
cess of the Saracens in the east. Consequently, in 
this pontificate, or reigning priesthood, which strug* 






I 



122 INTRODUCTION 

gled to take heaven and earth into its own hands, 
we are presented with the Anti-christian Empire, 
which forms a very conspicuous part of the scripture 
prophecies. But having wearied the reader with 
an afflictive subject, we shall consider those pre- 
dictions in the succeeding section. 

May the all- wise and gracious Spirit of God en- 
lighten our understandings, and regenerate our 
hearts, that we may learn by the church the mani- 
fold wisdom of God. Amen. 



SECTION VIL 

PROPHESIES CONCERNING THE ANTI-CHRISTIAN EMPIRE. 

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this 
prophesy, and keep those things which are written therein ; 
for the time is at hand. Rev. i. 3. 

The sacred prophesies have been generally 
couched in terms somewhat dark and obscure, yet 
not so obscure but they could animate the church 
with the hope of deliverance, though she could not 
clearly ascertain the nature, nor calcalate the time 
of that deliverance. The veil of prophesy was not 
to be lifted up too far, lest it should interfere with 
our moral freedom, or lay open the divine counsel 
to evil angels. Hence the primitive fathers could 
not know what was intended by " the man of sin" 
sitting in the temple of God, or by the beast who 
should make war with the saints. Some of them 
really thought that the Anti-christ would be a great 
prince, who for forty-two months would bring the 
greatest desolation on the church. If the prophe- 
sies on this subject were open enough to guard the 
church against apostacy, and to support her un- 
der tedious sufferings, with the assured hope of de- 
liverance, it was at that period quite sufficient. As 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 123 

soon as the man of sin revealed his own character, 
ke was immediately known. The court of inquisi- 
tion had not been long established, before the suf- 
ferers began to make very free in bestowing the ap- 
pellation of anti-christ on the Roman pontificate. — 
The idea was first communicated by the Walden- 
ses. But learned men were slow in deviating from 
the fathers. It was not till the last century that 
every iota of these prophesies was applied to*he 
clerical empire, and the application supported by 
authentic history. To this empire they all refer 
with perfect identity, and they cannot be referred to 
any other. 

Among the great and good men who have the fair- 
est claim to originality in the discussion of these 
predictions are, our Joseph Mede and Dr. Henry 
More. Among the French reformed ministers, Cha- 
mier, Jurieu, and Claude, deserve particular consid- 
eration. 1 mention them here, because they are 
mostly followed in the illustration of the subsequent 
prophesies. Providence having recently confirmed 
some of their comments, we may follow them with a 
degree of confidence which could not be done at the 
time they wrote. 

It is now generally understood, that the prophe- 
sies contained in the ten last chapters of the Reve- 
lation, are a continuation of the prophesies of Dan- 
iel ; and that Antiochus, who defiled the temple, 
and caused the daily sacrifice to cease for three 
years and a half, was an obvious type of anti-christ, 
who should defile the church for forty-two months, 
or twelve hundred and sixty years ; reckoning here, 
as in the seventy weeks of Daniel, a year for a day. 
But we shall restrict our observations on this sub- 
ject to the principal prophesies contained in the 
New Testament. 

I. 2 Thess. ii. 3, 2, 3. " Now I beseech you, 
brethren," says St. Paul, " by the coming of our 



124 INTRODUCTION 

Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together 
unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, neith- 
er by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, 
that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man de- 
ceive you by any means ;" that is by any pretended 
revelation from the Spirit, or letter from the apostle; 
"for that day shall not come except there come a 
falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, 
the*son of Perdition." By the day of Christ is here 
meant, his coming in flaming fire to take vengeance 
on them that know not God, and obey not the gos- 
pel. By the falling away we learn, that the anti- 
christ was not to be an individual, but a head over 
the apostate church. He is called the man of sin, 
because his whole system of ecclesiastical polity 
is a gradation of tyranny, and an entire mass of 
corruption. He is called like Judas, the son of per- 
dition, because for the acquisition of wealth, he be- 
trays the interest of his master, and brings upon 
himself and his empire everlasting destruction. 

V. 4. " Who opposeth and exalteth himself above 
all that is called God, or that is worshipped ; so 
that he as God sitteth in the temple of God." We 
have but to read the history of the popes to identify 
this prophetic character. The pontificate is en- 
throned in the temple or church of God, and has as- 
sumed the power of the Most High in dethroning 
kings, and in exalting others to the regal dignity. 
It has blasphemously assumed the divine preroga- 
tives to bind and loose in heaven, and usurped au- 
thority over the dictates of conscience, and the 
rights of private opinion. 

V. 5. " Remember ye not, that when I was yet 
with you, I told you these things ?" He foresaw 
that a spirit of insubordination to the yoke of Christ, 
and a love of pre-eminence, would be excited in 
the church, and cautioned them to watch against it. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 125 

V. 6, 7. " And now ye know what withholdeth 
that he might be revealed in his time ; for the mys- 
tery of iniquity doth already work ; only he who 
now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the 
way." The imperial government hindered the bish- 
op of Rome from exercising the sovereignty which 
he claimed ; but when the Goths and others had di- 
vided the empire into about ten kingdoms, a way 
was opened for the pontificate gradually to extend 
its sovereignty, and unfold its character. 

V. 8, 9, 10. " Then shall that wicked," or law- 
less pontificate, " be revealed, whom the Lord shall 
consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall de- 
stroy by the brightness of his coming : even him 
whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all 
power, and signs, and lying wonders ; and with all 
deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that pe- 
rish, because they received not the love of the truth, 
that they might be saved." The clerical domi- 
nation obtained its influence by imitating the poli- 
cy of Satan ; some were seduced to submission by 
fair promises, and others were intimidated by cruel 
persecutions. Their high claims to universal sove- 
reignty were supported by myriads of pretended 
miracles, and lying wonders. This mystery of ini- 
quity, this deceivableness of unrighteousness, was 
masked under a semblance of sanctity, by which 
the apostate church was deceived and brought into 
subjection. 

V. 11,12. " For this cause God shall send them 
strong delusion, that they should believe a lie ; that, 
they all might be damned who believed not the truth, 
but had pleasure in unrighteousness." We have 
here the sin and punishment of the apostate church. 
Having nothing of Christianity but the name, they 
loved not the plain apostolic preaching which 
struck at the root of every vice : They preferred 
those teachers who lectured softly on moral sub- 
l2 



126 INTRODUCTION 

jects, and in the style of the pagan schools. . At 
length, they believed not, or at least lived as though 
they believed not the truth. This was their sin ; 
and God, by instructive justice, made it their pun- 
ishment. After having quenched the Spirit, he 
abandoned them to the most deplorable superstition 
and error. They lived in the pleasures of pagans, 
believed every feigned miracle, and imagined that 
the priest could transact the affairs of their con- 
science with God. They did not love the yoke of 
Christ, and therefore he gave them up to the power, 
of anti-christ, whom he will gradually consume by 
republishing the pure gospel, and totally destroy 
by the vengeance of his appearing. In this inter- 
pretation the primitive fathers nearly all concur, 
though they understood not the anti-christ, which 
seems to be the effect of pure and uniform tradition. 
It should be remarked, that the whole of this 
prophesy is taken from Daniel's little horn, and 
mighty king, vii. 25. xi. 36. This will appear by 
comparing a few passages. " He shall speak great 
words against the Most High, and shall wear out 
the saints of the Most High, and think to change 
limes and laws. The king shall do according to his 
will, and he shall exalt himself, and magnify him- 
self above every God, and shall speak marvellous 
things against the God of Gods." 

II. The next prophesy we shall consider respect- 
ing the anti-christ, occurs in the first epistle of Paul 
(o Timothy, iv. 1, 2, 3. u Now, the Spirit speakelh 
oxpressly, that in the latter times some shall depart 
from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and 
doctrines of devils ; speaking lies in hypocrisy, 
having their conscience seared with a hot iron ; for- 
bidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from 
meats which God hath created to be received with 
thanksgiving." The apostacy has already been 
discussed, and the doctrines of demons signifies the 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 127 

worship of saints and angels. The heathens term- 
ed their divinities demons, as appears from Acts xvii. 
13. where the original is strange demons ; and the 
apostle seems to have used the heathen term be- 
cause of the similarity between pagan and Christian 
idolatry. The text, however, seems to have been 
mutilated by the advocates of image worship. — 
Epiphanius cites the passage against some who 
worship the Virgin Mary ; and after the doctrines 
of demons he adds, for they shall be worshippers of 
dead men, saith the apostle, as in Israel also they 
were worshipped.* To give the divine sanction to 
worship so lucrative to the priests, they invented 
myriads of legendary tales concerning the miracles 
and wonders feigned to be performed at the shrines 
of the saints. By the propagation of these lies to 
deceive the credulous, and by cruelly persecuting, 
and frequently burning those who opposed them, 
they demonstrated that their conscience was seared 
with a hot iron. This professional hypocrisy they 
covered with the garb of continence and sanctity, 
and justified all their crimes by a boasted zeal for 
the glory of God. They abstained from lawful 
marriage, and some time ate nothing but bread for 
the space of forty days. The monks did this to 
attract the superstitious reverence of the populace, 
and the bishops imposed celibacy on the clergy, 
partly from the same motive, and partly because it 
enabled them to employ a multitude of poor priests 
at an easy expense. But it was principally al- 
ledged, that the priests having neither wives nor 
children to provide for, would be the less subject to 
the civil power, and the more devoted to the supre- 
macy of the pope. After this manner, error com- 
bined with interest gained the ascendency in the 

*Advers. haer. 78. p. 1055. ten*. 1. ed. Petav. 



128 INTRODUCTION 

church; and the mystery of iniquity, which had 
long been working, at length boldly exalted itself 
above the commandments of God. 

III. The principal prophesies in the book of Reve- 
lation respecting the anti-christian empire, are next 
to be considered. We shall begin with the two wild 
beasts described in the thirteenth chapter. 

V. 1, 2. " And I stood upon the sand of the sea, 
and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven 
heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, 
and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And 
the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and 
his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as 
the mouth of a lion s and the dragon gave him his 
power, and his seat, and great authority." The 
prophet Daniel saw four beasts ascend from the sea, 
diverse one from another. The first was like a lion, 
and represented the Babylonian empire; the second 
was like a bear, and represented the Persian empire; 
the third was like a leopard, and represented the 
Grecian empire. The fourth, which represented 
the Roman empire, was dreadful and terrible, and 
strong exceedingly, and it had great iron teeth ; and 
it brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his 
feet, and it was diverse from all the beasts which 
were before it, and it had ten horns. "I consider- 
ed the horns," says he, " and behold, there came 
up among them another little horn, before whom 
there were three of the first horns plucked up by the 
roots. And behold in this horn there were eyes 
like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great 
things," Dan. vii. 2, 8. 

Daniel was extremely solicitous to know the im- 
port of his vision ; and particularly to know the 
truth or meaning of the ten horns, and of the little 
horn, whose mouth spake very great things, and 
whose look was more stout than his fellows ; for he 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 129 

beheld him make war with the saints, and prevail 
against them. 

" The ten horns, 1 ' said the interpreter, " out of 
this kingdom, are ten kings that shall arise. And 
another shall arise after them, 1 ' the little horn or 
pontificate, which arose from among the ten king- 
doms into which the Roman empire was divided, 
*' and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall 
subdue three kings." The papal dominions includ- 
ed three states, in honour of which the sovereign 
pontiff wore a tripple crown. " And he shall speak 
great words against the Most High, and shall wear 
out the saints of the Most High, and think to change 
times and laws : and they shall be given unto his 
hand until a time and times and the dividing of 
a time. But the judgment shall sit, ^and they shall 
take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it 
unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and 
greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, 
shall be given to the people of the saints of the 
Most High." 

The two beasts of St. John, in this thirteenth 
chapter, being a continuation of Daniel's fourth 
beast, and the little horn, they are here compared 
to illustrate the harmony of these prophesies. The 
iirst beast of St. John represents an ectire view of 
the Roman empire for the space of about two thou- 
sand five hundred and sixty years. The pagan 
period, including the Christian emperors, continu- 
ed about thirteen hundred years ; and the little 
horn, or the pontificate, shall continue, calculating 
froni its commencement, twelve hundred and sixty 
years. " The sea," is the people over whom the 
Romans extended their conquests. 

" The seven heads," are the seven forms of gov- 
ernment which succeeded one another in that em- 
pire: 1. Kings; 2. Consuls; 3. Decemvirs; 4. Tri- 
bunes of the people; 5. Perpetual Dictators; 6. Tri- 



230 INTRODUCTION 

umviTs; 7. Emperors. The "ten horns" on the 
seventh or highest head, are the ten kingdoms into 
which the empire was divided when subdued by the 
Goths, the Huns, and the Vandals, in the latter part 
of the fifth century. 1. The states of the church, 
including Tuscany and Romania ; 2. The Two Sic- 
ilies ; 3. Lombardy, with Istria ; 4. France ; 5. 
Spain; 6. Ireland; 7. Britain; 8. Germany, south 
of the Elbe ; 9. Pannonia, now Hungary ; 10. llly- 
ricum. " The name of blasphemy upon his heads," 
are the titles of the beast which belong to the Al- 
mighty, and to the Almighty only. The emperors 
claimed divine honours ; temples were erected to 
their memories, and incense was offered to their ge- 
niuses. Rome styled herself the celestial and eter- 
nal city, the goddess of the earth. The titles of the 
pontiff are equally blasphemous ; his holiness — in- 
fallible judge — vice God — God on earth — vicar of 
Christ. His blaspheming against them that dwell 
in heaven, is the paying divine homage to the holy 
angels and martyrs, which they abhor. " The dra- 
gon," who gave him his power and throne, is the 
devil, who stiles himself the prince of this world. — 
He instigated the pagan emperors to persecute the 
church ; and since the eleventh century, through 
the advice of secular clergy, he has instigated 
Christian princes to do the same. Within the last 
seven hundred years, two or three millions of Chris- 
tians have lost their lives for bearing their testimo- 
ny against the corruptions of popery. " The head 
wounded to death and healed again," is the impe- 
rial head, which was wounded by the Goths, Huns 
and Vandals, but healed, in some sort, when Charles 
the great was proclaimed emperor of the Romans, 
or when Justinian received the imperial dignity. 

But Jurieu has given another opinion concern- 
ing the healing of the deadly wound, which I pre- 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 131 

fer. He says, that the wound was healed when th6 
ten Christian kings were deceived by the clergy to 
acknowledge the bishop of Rome as' sovereign pon- 
tiff. In this view, " all the world wondered after 
the beast. And they worshipped the dragon, which 
gave power to the beast, saying, who is like unto 
the beast ? who is able to make war with him ?" 
By this submitting to the temporal and spiritual 
tyranny of Rome, they in reality forsook the Lord, 
and did homage to the devil. 

V. 7, 8. u And power was given him over all kin- 
dreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that 
dwell on earth shall worship him, whose names are 
not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain 
from the foundation of the world." This is not 
true of the German empire ; but it is really true, 
that the Christian world in general submitted to the 
pontificate. " And power was given unto him to 
continue forty and two months." This is exactly 
the same as the duration of Daniel's little horn, 
twelve hundred and sixty days, which, according 
to the manner of calculating prophesy, implies so 
many years. Then he shall surely be destroyed, 
" He that leadeth into captivity, shall go into cap- 
tivity. He that killeth with the sword, must be kill- 
ed with the sword. Here is the patience, and the 
faith of the saints." 

IV. We shall next proceed to St. John's two 
horned beast, which is expressly descriptive of the 
pontificate. 

Rev. ch. xiii. 11. " And I beheld another beast 
coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns 
like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon." The 
clerical empire rose out of the earth, as a wild beast 
leaves his den in the dark, and arrived at the high- 
est glory and power : the two horns represent the 
two swords, or their temporal and spiritual power. 



132 INTRODUCTION 

The decretals or bulls of the church illustrate this - r 
they are issued in the high tone of superior majesty. 

V. 12. " He exerciseth all the power of the first 
beast before 7iim, and causeth the earth, and them 
which dwell therein, to worship the first beast, 
whose deadly wound was healed." Pagan Rome 
endeavoured to subjugate ail nations to her unlimit- 
ed control, and Christian Rome has endeavoured by 
every means to do the same. She has healed the 
wounded imperial power by presiding as the queen 
mother over her ten reigning sons. 

V. 13. " And he doth great wonders, so that he 
maketh fire to come down from heaven on the earth 
in the sight of men." The pope, and the princes 
of the church, represent the sun and stars of heaven, 
and his anathemas have frequently set whole king- 
doms in a flame of discord and war. . 

V. 1 4. " And deceiveth them, by means of those 
miracles, saying to them that dwell on the earth, 
that they should make an image to the beast, which 
had the wound by a sword and did live." The 
pontificate is but an image of the ancient Roman 
power. The emperors had their senators, generals, 
prefects, and governors ; and the popes have their 
cardinals, legates, metropolitans, and bishops. — 
These are the princes of the anti-christian empire, 
who'have "power to give life unto the image of the 
beast, that the image of the beast should speak, in 
lying and ambiguous oracles, as well as the images 
in the pagan temples ; and they have power to cause 
as many as wOuld not worship the image of the 
beast, should be killed." The accomplishment of 
this prophesy is sufficiently obvious from the wars 
of extermination which the pontificate has prosecu- 
ted against all who would not submit to its tyranny ; 
and from the cruel and bloody procedures of the 
courts of inquisition. Indeed, so rigorous and 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 133 

cruel have been those proceedings, that they have 
caused " all, both small and great, rich and poor, 
free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, 
or in their foreheads." As the slaves had their 
master's mark, so the catholics have been com- 
pelled to receive badges of slavery ; they have been 
compelled to receive the cross and the chrism on 
their forehead ; they carry the crucifix, rosary and 
chapelet in their right hand, and On pain of damna- 
tion, are obliged to confess, at least once a year, 
to their proper priest.* Surely these are badges 
of slavery ! 

V. 17, 18. " And that no man might buy or sell, 
save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, 
or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let 
him that hath understanding count the number of 
the beast ; for it is the number of a man ; and his 
number is six hundred, threescore and six*" No- 
thing can be more striking than the application of 
this prophesy to the pontificate : in all its decretals 
it has prohibited the catholics, on pain of excom- 
munication, to have any intercourse with heretics. 
With regard to the number of the beast, the good 
Irena?tus affirms, on the testimony of persons who 
had conversed with St. John, that it was to be found 
in the numerical letters of his name. He adduces 
the Greek aateinos, which exactly gives that 
number, from which he infers that the anti-cbrist 
was to be of the Latin church. t But it should also 
be remarked, that the numerical letters in the pope's 
favorite title, Vicarius dei generalis in terris, con- 
tain the same number.J 

* Du Pin's Ecc. His- Lateran Coun. 1215. 

j- Euscb. Hist. Ecc. lib. v. cap. viii. 

I In the sixteenth century, our reformers frequently place 
the name of Louis, or Ludovicvs, opposite this text, which 
i>ives the number 666. 

M 



134 


INTRODU 
V — 5 


CTION 

G — 


T 


— o 




I — 1 


E — 


E 


— 


A— 30 


C — 100 


N — 


R 


— 


A— 1 


A — 


E — 


R 


— 


T— 300 


R — 


R — 


I 


— 1 


E— 5 


I — 1 


A — 


S 


— 


I— 10 


U — 5 


L —50 










N— 50 


s — o 


I — 1 




1 


O— - 70 


D -— 500 


S — 




613 


2— 200 


E — 
I — 1 


I — 1 

N — 




52 



666 613 52 666 

V. In the seventeenth and eighteenth chapters of 
this book, we have a very figurative description of 
the anti-christian empire, and of its destruction. — 
But the Holy Spirit saw it meet to disguise the rep- 
resentation, under the mystic name of Babylon.—- 
Had the description been more open, it would have 
made a premature exposure of the divine counpil, 
and might have occasioned the suppression of those 
scriptures which are here considered. 

V. 3, 4. u And I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet 
coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having 
seven heads, and ten horns* And the woman was 
arrayed in purple, and scarlet colour, and decked 
with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, having a 
golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and fil- 
thiness of her fornication." The empires of the 
earth are represented by beasts, but the church is 
frequently represented by a woman* Hence, this 
woman is the harlot church presiding over the em- 
pire, and having the ten kings reined at her com- 
mand. The scarlet, purple, gold, and jewels, in 
which she is dressed, represent the splendor of the 
papal court, which has aggrandized itself by every 
species of ecclesiastic corruption. The golden cup*, 
full of intoxicating wine, is expressive of the pomp 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 135 

and majesty with which Rome asserts its dignity, and 
conducts its worship, and of the fascinating effects 
which it has upon the people. They wonder after 
the beast, and are dazzled with the decorations of 
their mother. But the Most High God, who seeks 
his temple in the humble heart, abominates this de- 
ceit and pride. The vulgate translation, used by 
the papists, reads, poculum aureum plenum abomina- 
iione, and the first letters of these words make Papa : 
if this was intended by the Holy Spirit, as Jurieu 
thinks, the author of these corruptions is published 
by name. The name, however, is sufficiently mark- 
ed in the following verse by four luminous charac- 
ters. 

V. 5. " And upon the forehead was a name, writ- 
ten, Mystery — Babylon the great — the mother of 
harlots — and abomir.a'tioD of &C C2r',l<. :? Vrmn 
the duke de Montmorency was at Rome, he learned, 
on good authority, that this term — " mystery," was 
written on the pope's diadem, and that it was eras- 
ed on account of this test; This term is ■■u^dcr* 
stood to be of the same import as St. Paul's myste- 
ry of iniquity, which began to work very early in 
the church. And it is a mystery of the profoundest 
nature, that so much ambitioa and wickedness 
•should be couched under the garb of humble sanc- 
tity ; that the pontiff should call himself the servant 
of servants, and yet retain the title of Vice Deo. 

Rome is here denominated Babylon ; because, 
as that haughty empire captivated the apostate Is- 
raelites, and demolished their temple ; so the pon- 
tificate has extended its sovereignty over the apos- 
tate church, and defaced the superstructure raised 
by the apostles. Likewise, as God preserved Israel 
in captivity, and brought them back after seventy 
years to rebuild his city and sanctuary, so he has 
preserved a people in the corrupt and tyranical 
church to revive and reform his pure religion ; and 



136 INTRODUCTION 

at the expiration of the 1260 years, he will com- 
plete their emancipation, and destroy the empire of 
their enemies. 

Concerning the two remaining names, we need 
but add, that as a woman renders her character in- 
famous by leaving a faithful husband and becoming 
a prostitute, so this church, by bowing to idols, has 
in reality forsaken the Lord, and rendered herself 
detestable by innumerable idolatries and crimes. 

'V. 6. " And I saw the woman drunk with the 
blood of the saints, and wkh the blood of the 
martyrs of Jesus, and when I saw her I won- 
dered with great admiration. " In her intoxica- 
tion, she thought to have secured her revenues 
and honours by branding the saints with the appel- 
lation of heretics, and by exterminating them ; but 
it developed her real character, and caused the 
world to hate her. We have but to read the his- 
tory of the crusades she published against the Wal- 
denses, Albigenses, and others ; the history of her 
inquisitions and massacres ; of her bloody wars 
and executions in every nation, to identify the ob- 
ject of this prophesy. St. John did not wonder that 
the heathen dragon should persecute the church, 
but he wondered with great admiration that this 
woman should destroy millions of the children she 
professed to nourish. 

V. 7, 8, 9. " And the angel said unto me, where- 
fore didst thou marvel ? I will tell thee the mystery 
of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, 
which hath the seven heads and ten horns. The 
beast which thou sawest was, and is not ; and shall 
ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdi- 
tion. The seven heads are seven mountains, on 
which the woman sitteth." We have here a positive 
declaration, that the ambition of the apostate clergy, 
to enthrone themselves over the empire, proceeded 
from the bottomless pit, and that both them and 
their idolatries shall go into perdition, and rise no 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 137 

more. That Rome is here intended, appears from 
the seven hills on which the city is built. 

\ r . 10, 11. ' ; And there arc seven kings ; five are 
fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come, 
and when he cometh he must continue a short space. 
And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the 
eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdi- 
tion." The five fallen kings or heads are, the kings, 
the consuls, the dictators, the decemvirs, and the tri- 
bunes. The sixth, who existed when John wrote, 
was the emperors. The seventh was the Christian 
emperors, when Constantine removed the govern- 
ment from Rome to Constantinople : though this 
form still retained the same name it was upon the 
whole attended with a thorough change. The tri- 
umvirate is not reckoned here, because it was a 
confusion rather than a government. The eighth 
is the pontificate, who also is of the seventh head,. for 
he gradually invaded the emperor's rights in the 
assumption ^>f temporal power. 

V. 12. "And the ten horns which thou sawest 
are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as 
yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the 
beast." This text illustrates St. PauPs mystery 
of iniquity, or the clerical ambition to reign over 
the apostate church. The imperial power let or 
restrained the ambition of the man of sin. But the 
annihilation of the imperial name by Odoacer, in 
the year 476, favoured the assumed sovereignty of 
the Roman pontiff, and it afforded the kingdoms, 
about ten in number, an opportunity to assert their 
independence. Hence it is said, that they received 
their power in one or the same hour with the pon- 
tifical beast. But it was not till several ages after 
the year 475, that the pontificate had opportunity 
to exercise its sovereignty over the nations ; and 
that period not being distinctly marked in history, 
11 attempts to fix the commencement of the 1200 

31 2 



138 INTRODUCTION 

years are, in my judgment, presumption. Second* 
ly, v. 13. The ten kings " have one mind, and shall 
give their power and strength unto the beast." 
That is, they shall be of one religion, and through 
fraud and force shall yield to the assuming claims 
of the pontificate. Thirdly, v. 14. " These shall 
make war with the Lamb." By lending their ar- 
mies to fight against heretics, as they termed the 
saints, the catholic kings really fought againstChrist, 
and exterminated their best subjects. Fourthly, 
"the Lamb shall overcome them ; for he is Lord of 
lords, and King of kings." The reigning families 
who once persecuted the reformed church having 
been all dethroned, or greatly humbled, what shall 
we say to these mysterious visitations ? Do the 
1260 years of bondage happily draw to a close 1 
V. 16, 17. " These" ten kingdoms u shall hate 
the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, 
and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire ; for 
God hath put into their hearts to fulfil his will ; and 
to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, 
until the words of God shall be fulfilled.'" The 
deceived sovereigns and people shall at length be 
enlightened, and rise up against their deceivers. 
They shall strip the clergy of those titles which 
humble men cannot receive ; sell their monasteries 
and lands ; spoil her spiritual traffic, and destroy 
her by war, in the same manner as she destroyed 
the saints. The present awful war appears to de- 
sign the pillage of the church. 

VI. In the eighteenth chapter, an angel came 
down from heaven, and proclaimed the fall of mys- 
tic Babylon, much in the same words as Isaiah pre- 
dicted the fall of ancient Babylon, Isa. xiii. 21. 
And another angel cried from heaven, saying, 
•• come out of her, my people, that ye be not partak- 
ers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her 
plagues j for her sins have reached unto heaven, 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 139 

and God hath remembered her iniquities." From 
these words we learn, that God hath had a people 
in Babylon, who have mourned for her corruptions ; 
and that the reformers, when these corruptions were 
forced on their consciences, had no alternative but 
to separate or become partakers of her sins. In- 
deed, through ignorance, and for want of intrepid 
reformers, they were partially contaminated with 
her depravity* 

V. 6. " Reward her even as she rewarded you, 
and double unto her double, according to her 
works ; in the cup which she hath filled fill to her 
double." When Louis XIV. had ascended the 
throne of France, he was persuaded by the clergy 
to revoke the edict of Nantz in favor of the reform- 
ed churches. They urged the necessity of the 
whole kingdom being of one religion ; and that it 
was in reality accounting his majesty a heretic to 
differ from him in religious worship. An edict was 
consequently published, which enjoined the protes- 
tant ministers to quit the kingdom in fifteen days, 
or be hanged. Many of the fugitive pastors were 
detained in the frontier towns till the time was ex- 
pired, and then executed. Those protestants who 
had property were obliged to deliver up their shops, 
warehouses, and estates, to the papists, and labour 
for their bread ; for they could neither be postill- 
ions nor waggoners, unless they embraced the 
catholic religion. When they assembled in the 
woods or on the mountains to worship, the soldiers 
frequently pursued and slaughtered them without 
mercy ; or if, on some occasions, prisoners were 
brought in, one part was hanged, and another sent to 
the galleys. The soldiers were quartered on their 
houses in great numbers, and they consumed their 
property, and treated the weaker branches of their 
families with indignities which cannot be named. 
But God, at length, has completed the visitation of 
these crimes ; for he is a jealous God, visiting the 



140 INTRODUCTION 

iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the 
third and fourth generation. This persecution com- 
menced in the year 1685 ; and in 1789 the revolu- 
tion took place in France, which ruined the nobil- 
ity and clergy, whose fathers occasioned these cal- 
amities to the protestants. They have lost their 
titles, their estates, and an immense number of them 
have lost their lives too. They have been banish- 
ed in beggary to those very nations to which their 
fathers compelled the protestants to fly. Never 
was there a more striking instance of the divine 
retribution ! 

The prophetic scene of this destruction closes 
with the elegies of her friends, and the songs of 
the martyrs. V. 9. " The kings of the earth, 5 ' 
who are attached to her interest at the time of her 
destruction, " shall bewail her, and lament for her, 
when they shall see the smoke of her burning. — 
And the merchants of the earth shall weep and 
mourn over her, for no man buyeth her merchan- 
dize any more : the merchandize of gold, and silver, 
and precious stones, and pearls, ana fine linen, and 
purple, and silk, and scarlet, and the souls of men,' 1 
&c. Yes, the priests, who have long traded for 
human souls in pardons and indulgences, shall weep 
and mourn when the light of revelation and litera- 
ture shall have consumed her traffic. 

On the other hand it is said, v. 20, 21. "Re- 
joice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles 
and prophets, for God hath avenged you on her. 
And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great 
mill-stone, and cast it into the sea, saying, thus with 
violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown 
down, and shall be found no more at all." 

We have now traced the rise, splendor, and fall, 
of the apostate and harlot church, dignified with 
the titles, and arrayed in the pomp, of this vain 
world. She has made the nations drunk with her 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 141 

intoxicating cup of idolatry and superstition : she 
says, " I sit a queen, and shall see no sorrow." — 
But the chaste spouse of Christ presents the believ- 
er with a different mien. According to the predic- 
tions of her Lord, reproach, affliction, and poverty, 
have generally been her lot. Her fine raiment, has 
been her righteousness ; and her brilliant crown, 
her apostles and martyrs. Let us hasten to view 
her promised exaltation from obscurity, to the lus- 
tre of meridian glory and universal dominion. This 
subject requires here a copious consideration, be- 
cause the time is near, and it adds to our comfort, 
by disclosing the growing evidences of the truth of 
our most holy religion. 



SECTION VIII. 

OF THE SECOND AND UNIVERSAL SrREAD OF THE GOSPEL. 

Is it possible that God, who foretold to a year, and very clearly, 
the deliverance of Israel from their Egyptian bondage, their 
return from the Babylonian captivity, tiie building of the se- 
cond temple, and the death of the Messiah, should have been 
silent, or not have spoken as clearly concerning- his coming 
to destroy the destroyers, and set up his kingdom ? 

FLETCHER. 

Real piety, during the predominancy of anti- 
christ, has prophesied in sackcloth, or been con- 
cealed like embers among the ashes ; and if at any 
period it kindled into the enlightening flame of ref- 
ormation, the clergy were wanting in no efforts of 
fraud or force to exterminate the rising sect. Our 
most voluminous martyrologists are unable to ac- 
quaint us with the numbers which have been burnt, 
hanged, and slaughtered in the different nations of 
Europe. God's faithful witnesses have been slain 
in all parts of the harlot city, and their dead bodies 
have lain in the streets. They embarrassed their 
enemies after their death, for they could not bu- 



142 INTRODUCTION ; 

ry them : their works and piety would still speak 
to the confusion of error and vice. 

I. The grand instance, in which the flame broke 
forth into permanent reform, and glowed with ar- 
dor, which increased by opposition, occurred in 
Saxony. The foundation of St. Peter's church 
was laid at Rome early in the fifteenth century ; and 
the money, for erecting this magnificent edifice, was 
raised throughout Europe by the sale of indulgen- 
ces : but the house of God should not have been 
built with the wages of unrighteousness. 

Martin Luther, a zealous and intrepid monk, was 
moved by the spirit of God to preach and write 
against this shameful traffic. In this he was ably 
supported by Melancthon, Bullinger, Brentius, and 
others. All Germany interested themselves in the 
controversy, and for the most part in favor of the re- 
formers. The struggle was great and hazardous ; 
arid it terminated in the emancipation of the north 
of Europe from the papal tyranny. 

From the bold and animating sermons of the Sax- 
on reformers, the still surviving friends of Valdo in 
France and Switzerland, of Wickliff in England, 
of Huss in Bohemia, were quickly rekindled with 
the flame of ecclesiastical reform. A considera- 
ble number of able men were raised up in each 
of these countries, to preach and write against the 
errors and corruptions of the papal church. After 
a long and severe, contest which produced a cloud 
of genuine martyrs, they completely succeeded in 
removing idolatry from the sanctuary, and in adorn- 
ing it, in some degree, with the graces of regenera- 
tion. Protestants, now, do not sufficiently consider 
the gratitude which is due to the memories of those 
faithful men. Had it not been for their bold and 
disinterested exertions, we might at this day, have 
been bargaining with priests and saints for salva- 
tion, instead of receiving it as the gift of God through 
Jesus Christ. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 143 

In France, the reformation was embraced by two 
millions of the people. It could boast of a cloud of 
the ablest ministers ; among whom, Du Moulin, 
Mestrczat, Daille, Du Bose, Drellingcourt, Claude, 
and Allix, are names which deserve particular con- 
sideration. But their cause was almost extinguish 
cd by the revocation of the edict ofNantz. The 
priests hated them not only on account of their reli- 
gion, but because they had placed Henry IV. on the 
throne of France 5 and, on his death, they involved 
I them in calamities scarcely to be equalled by the se- 
verities of the Roman persecutions. 

We have also to regret, that the reformers were 
jnot more united in their religious opinions. The 
I Lutherans were accused by the Calvinists of com- 
I promising the doctrine of transubstantiation with 
the catholics, by affirming that the real body of 
Christ was present in the bread and wine. In Eng- 
land, they were equally unhappy. One party wish- 
ed to model the church after the simplicity of the 
primitive Christians, and on that account were de- 
nominated Puritans. The other party wished to 
retain the pomp of robes, mitres, and titles; and 
to suppress only the supremacy of the pope, and 
; all the idolatrous parts of the mass. The lat- 
ter gained the ascendancy, and constitute our 
present national church. We lament that they 
did not carry the reform a little further : it would 
have promoted a greater harmony of religious wor- 
ship, stopped the ridicule of infidels, and relieved 
conscientious men of some scruples they feel in tak- 
ing the subscription oath to the thirty-nine articles 
of faith. 

II. But the revival of genuine piety in the hearts 
of the people is as essentially connected w'nh the 
universal spread of the gospel as the reformation. 
Indeed, if that be not kept in view, the reformers 
have lost sight of their principal object. It is not 



144 INTRODUCTION 

sufficient to clear away the rubbish : the sanctuary 
must be consecrated with the divine presence, and 
the fire kept burning on the altar. On this sub- 
ject I am happy to observe, that every protestant 
nation can boast of a number of celebrated minis- 
ters and laymen, who have made it their peculiar 
study and care to do good. Some of those ministers 
have seen considerable revivals of religion in the 
congregations in which they have laboured, and 
they have endeavoured to revive it throughout their 
country by a variety of excellent writings. Others 
have been successful among the religious sects ; 
and it does not appear, from an impartial review of 
their conduct, that they were actuated by any mo- 
tives but those of piety and zeal for the glory of 
God. 

While treating of revivals, it would be incompati- 
ble with Christian charity, did we omit the work of 
God among the Roman Catholics. For several 
ages past, a considerable number of people, and 
many of them people of quality, have endeavoured, 
in their way, to revive vital godliness in that com- 
munity- Some of them have suffered very great 
persecution for these endeavours, which at least de- 
monstrates the sincerity of their piety. This great, 
though almost secret work, has been promoted 
chiefly by the circulation of spiritual books ; which, 
however erroneous on some important articles of 
faith, are peculiarly happy in treating of self-de- 
nial, of communion with God, and of the insuffi- 
ciency of worldly happiness. 

III. We shall next consider some of the princi- 
pal efforts which have been made to propagate the 
gospel among the heathen. About the year 1522, 
Ignatius Loyola, a Spanish nobleman, quitted the 
profession of arms, and devoted himself to the con- 
version of the Mahometans and idolaters in every 
part of the world. His benevolent heart was ex- 



TO CHRISTIANITY, 145 

rpanded with love to all mankind, and he was rous- 
ed to jealousy for the honour of God, by seeing the 
mariners in the new trade to India suffer so much 
for the acquisition of wealth, and nothing done by 
the Christians for the conversion of the heathen. — 
With a view to acquire assistance in this laudable 
work, he came to the university of Paris. After a 
while, several priests were converted by his la- 
bours, and heartily acquiesced in his design. — 
These were constituted into a society, and denom- 
inated " the company of Jesus ;" that is, the Jesuits. 
If some of this order have been deemed the most in- 
siduous men that ever existed, I am really of cpin? 
ion, that Loyola and his first disciples were men of 
deep piety, and actuated with the noblest motive 
which can possibly inspire the heart of man. Their 
industry and perseverance, their sufferings and pa- 
tience, their zeal and success in their respective 
missions, though not equal to all that fame has. re- 
corded, were doubtless admirably great. 

The celebrated Francis Xavier was among the 
earliest converts of Ignatius. This truly apostolic 
man, disregarding the dignity of his birth, made 
himself poor for (he kingdom of God. He attended 
the hospitals, and performed the meanest offices for 
the sick. When proposed with two more for the 
mission to India, he embraced it with a warm heart, 
and persevered with invincible patience and zeaL 
From the year 1541 to 1552, he acquired a great 
variety of languages, and with very few assistants 
taught and baptized an incredible number of hea- 
thens. His mission commenced at the isle of Goa, 
and extended along the coasts, and to all the islands 
of Indostan, and as far, as the islands of Japan. His 
"heart was chiefly fixed on the empire of China, 
which is said to contain three hundred millions of 
people ; but, like Moses, he was only permitted to 
see the land. He died in a hut in an island near 



146 INTRODUCTION 

Canton, whither he was going to preach. But God 
did not lose sight of the faith and prayers of his 
servant. 

Early in the sixteenth century, Matthew Ricci, 
a Jesuit of Margareta, near Ancona, with two col- 
leagues of the same order, penetrated into China, 
in the character of European philosophers. His 
colleagues soon left him, and he laboured alone for 
eighteen years. By his skill in the mathematics he 
became so acceptable to the Chinese nobility, and 
even to their emperor, that he obtained, both for 
himself and his associates, the liberty of explaining 
to the people the doctrines of Christianity. Their 
success, considering the small number of labourers, 
was almost incredible, and it extended to the princi- 
pal cities of the empire. 

Ricci was very much disposed to favour the con- 
verts in all the customs of the Chinese which were 
not^ directly opposite to the laws of Christ. He 
went so far as to allow them to comply with the laws 
of the empire in bowing to the statue of Confucius, 
on being assured that nothing was intended by it but 
civil homage. 

The infant churches continued to flourish and en- 
joy repose till the death of the first Tartar emperor, 
whose successor was Cang-hi, a minor. During 
the minority, the regency and nobles conspired to 
exterminate the Christian religion. They asserted, 
in a proclamation, that the Christian doctrines were 
false ; that they were inimical to the interests of the 
empire ; and that they should not be professed on 
pain of death. A severe persecution ensued through 
all the provinces. But the young emperor, coming 
to the throne, restored the peace of the churches. 

Another company of missionaries penetrated to 
the islands of Japan ; and providence enabled them 
to surmount the difficulties arising from the language, 
and the opposition of the idolatrous priests. Chris- 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 147 

tianity flourished in this kingdom for seventy years, 
and could boast of a hundred thousand converts. — 
But it is feared that the later missionaries gave too 
much countenance to a rebellion which broke out, 
and terminated in the total extermination of the 
church. 

In South America, these Jesuits, having establish- 
ed a mission on the northern shore of the river 
Plate, taught and baptized three hundred thousand 
families. They laid out the country in plantations, 
instructed their converts in agriculture, which copi- 
ously supplied their wants. If all this be regarded 
merely as a work of civilization, it commands our 
admiration, and it ameliorated the condition of a 
people made completely wretched by the sword of 
the Spaniards. In short, the Jesuits extended their 
missions, and with more or less success, to all the 
colonial dominions of Franco,', Spain, and Portugal. 
What a reproach is this to the indolence of protest- 
ant nations, who, as yet, have done but little for the 
heathens. 

A respectable society has long been formed ia 
London, and in Copenhagen; and in Edinburgh, for 
propagating the gospel in foreign parts. Some of 
the first Danish missionaries used their utmost en- 
deavours to instruct the Hindoos ; but their success- 
ors seemed to have considered themselves as gen- 
tlemen rather than labourers. It is to be regretted, 
that most of the men sent out by these laudable so- 
cieties, should have been totally destitute of the 
spirit of Xavier, Brainard, and Swartz. 

The Moravian brethren have been peculiarly 
happy in selecting missionaries formed for fatigue, 
and patient of hardships and labour. They have 
possessed a zeal which could neither be extinguish- 
ed by the cold of Greenland, nor awed by the fe- 
vers of the torrid zone. These industrious men 
have frequently subsisted on food which the poor- 



148 INTRODUCTION 

est man in this country would not taste. The man- 
ner in which they institute religious societies is 
very confined, yet they have succeeded among the 
Indians in various parts of North America, and 
have made them happy in the enjoyment of knowl- 
edge, pietjr, and every temporal comfort. 

In 178 -J, the Rev. Dr. Coke, going to the United 
States of North America, and in company with 
Messrs. Whatcoat and Vasey, was driven by a tem- 
pest to Antigua. They preached to the people, 
and engaged to establish a mission in that island. 
Since then, they have sent out above thirty minis- 
ters and young men ; and though their labours have 
been greatly obstructed by the infidel principles 
and great wickedness of the planters, and by 9 long 
and afflictive war, yet their labours have been 
crowned with a success in Antigua, St. Christo- 
phers, Neyisj St t Vincents. Dominica, Jamaica, 
New Providence, and other smaller islands, ^htch 
has astonished the world. The number of their 
members amounts to upwards of thirteen thousand; 
and the number of the negroes, the coloured people, 
and the whites, who receive instructions, amounts 
to seventy thousand. In all these islands, they 
have built lodgings and houses for the missionaries", 
and large chapels for the congregations. But the 
most hopeful object of this mission lies in the aston- 
ishing talents of some of the negroes for preaching 
and prayer. The doctor awaits but an opportuni- 
ty to assist those men in conveying back to their 
native shores of Africa, the glad-tidings of salva- 
tion by Jesus Christ. 

About fifteen years ago, two Baptist missionaries 
found their way in Danish bottoms, to India. They 
established a college, a printing-office, and a church, 
at Serampore, in Bengal. The Missionary Socie- 
ty sent over since four young men in 1800 to their 
assistance, with 10.000 copies of the New Testa- 
ment in the Bengalee. They have made a slov 



TO CHRISTIANITY 149 

but sure progress ; for their industry and excellent 
spirit will ensure success. They have established 
a small church at Dinngepore, Calcutta, Jessore, 
Cutwa, &c. &c. and ordained many of the convert- 
ed natives to the ministry. They have likewise, 
by their press, laid down a plan of diffusing the sa- 
cred writings, and the knowledge of Christ, on all 
the shores of the Ganges. But their chief difficul- 
ty arises from the four casts into which the natives 
are divided. On embracing Christianity the Hin- 
doo loses his cast, and his nearest relations regard 
him as an exile. Hence, there seems no remedy at 
present, but to form a fifth, or Christian cast. Should 
the gospel once obtain in a general way, it would, 
in every view, better the condition of the Indostan 
nations. They are deeply immersed in superstition 
and vice. The young -people dance and sing, sur- 
rounded with the aged, who apparently are pining 
away with hunger. Among the married, it is esti- 
mated that not more than one in fifty escapes the 
crime of adultery. What a work of Benevolence 
to send among them the glory of the gospel, and a 
superior system of morality! And we may augur 
from experiment, that neither the Alcoran of Ma- 
homet, nor the Bedas of the Hindoos, will keep 
their ground against the lustre of the Bible, when 
interpreted by the life of faithful mission. 

The missionary flame is at length revived, and 
promises to extend its divine influence to every 
nation of the earth. Twenty-nine missionaries sail- 
ed in the ship Duff in 1796, and arrived at Ota- 
heite, after a passage the most safe and speedy 
ever known ; and though the society may have to 
regret the failure of this mission in a great degree, 
and the too great eclat with which it was conducted, 
they have nevertheless the consolation to see their 
mission to Caflraria, under Dr. Vanderkemp, con- 
ducted with the most promising success. And it is 
n 2 



150 INTRODUCTION 

hoped that, similar success will crown the Scotch 
mission in the northern vicinity of the Caspian sea. 

Correspondent to missionary efforts, are the Bible 
societies now established in London, Copenhagen, 
Berlin, Basle, Nurenberg, and several parts of the 
Austrian empire. In particular, the London Bible 
society, exclusive of the vast editions it has circula- 
ted at home and abroad, has granted types and paper 
for 5000 copies of the New Testament in the Turk- 
ish language at Karass or rather Karasou, in the 
Crimea. It is printing a large edition of the Bible 
in Arabic at home; and it is aiding Dr. Buchanan 
to print, at the College of Fort William, in Bengal, 
ten editions of the Bible, in all the principal lan- 
guages of the east. Specimens have already been 
received of the Bibles printed in the Shanscrit 
and Chinese. Every Christian should, therefore, 
regard those societies as the great engines of heav- 
en, aided by the invention of Stereotype, to Bible 
the world, and to afford efficacious aid in the univer- 
sal spread of the gospel. 

IV. It is further observed, that the political changes 
which have recently taken place in the earth, seem 
highly favourable to the enlargement of the Redeem- 
er's kingdom. Many have noticed the peace which 
prevailed in the great Roman empire at our Saviour's 
birth, and extolled the wisdom of providence which 
chose that pacific period for (he propagation of the 
faith. In this view, the great Russian empire exhi- 
bits a very favourable appearance for the Greek 
church to spread the gospel in the east. That em- 
pire has extended itself to the Caspian sea, to the 
confines of China, and to the northern and eastern 
extremities of the continent. Including all variety 
of soil and climate, of vegetable and mineral produc- 
tions, it has a vast commerce within itself. The way 
is therefore open for civilization, literature, and the 
gospel of peace, to go hand in hand through all the 
provinces of northern Asia. 



TO CHRISTIANITY, 151 

The Mahometan empire, so long the scourge of 
the church, is now crumbling to pieces. Many of 
the Pachas, by asserting their independence, have so 
enfeebled the body, that it cannot move its enormous 
limbs. The fall of this empire will have a happy 
tendency to emancipate the long captive church, 
and the diffusion of knowledge to raise it above 
superstition, that the candlestick may once more 
give light to the eastern world. 

The commercial and colonial influence of the 
European nations, which annually increases, is 
another inviting circumstance to send missionaries 
to the heathen. The way is as open as we could 
reasonably expect it ; and the work is opposed by 
none of the sovereigns of Europe. The colonies 
enrich us with their best productions ; and if we 
make no efforts to impart unto them the true riches, 
we shall be altogether inexcusable in the sight of 
God, and prove to the infidels at home, that we do 
not believe the religion we profess. 

V. I am aware that sober-minded Christians 
would not wish to go before the Lord, but like 
prompt and faithful servants, they would acquiesce 
in the intimations of his will. It really appears to 
me, not only from the preceding considerations on 
the favourable state of the world for this work, but 
from the apparent accomplishment of several pro- 
phesies, that this is really the time. The two thou- 
sand three hundred days; that is, years of Daniel, 
for the God of heaven to set up an everlasting king- 
dom, and cleanse the sanctuary, are expired, or 
nearly so, Dan. viii. 13, 14. Likewise, the fall of 
the tenth part of the city by a great earthquake, 
and the slaughter of the seven thousand men, seems 
to have been strikingly accomplished by the French 
revolution. Their bidding defiance to the powers 
of the pontificate was sudden and unexpected as an 
earthquake, and attended with the slaughter of more 



152 INTRODUCTION 

than a million men. The aggrandizement of this 
empire, and the titles assumed by Buonaparte, em- 
peror of France, and king of Italy, are declarations 
to the world, that the temporal powers of the pope 
exist no more. There need be no more disputes 
about the doctrine of the two swords. His holiness, 
now, is of little more consequence to the church, 
than that of a degraded priest granting absolution to 
the crimes of France. The reformed churches have 
uniformly considered this empire as that tenth part 
of the city, and it is sufficiently evident they were 
not mistaken, for none of the protestant nations 
were emancipated with such great political commo- 
tions. This great empire, situated in the centre of 
ihe catholic community, having abolished all perse- 
cution for religious sentiments ; having annihilated 
the tyrannical parts of the clerical power, and ex- 
posed relics, images, and every priestly artifice, to 
the utmost degradation, must thereby have applain- 
ed the way for the total destruction of idolatry, and 
afforded a favourable moment, for Christianity in 
France, Italy, and Spain, to assume her primitive 
character of purity and love. 

It is further observed, (hat during the great earth- 
quake, in which Babylon should drink of the fierce- 
ness of God's wrath, that the great city should be 
divided into three parts, Rev. xvi. 18, 19. And 
the ancient papal empire, at this moment, strikingly 
exhibits a triple division : that is, catholics, protes- 
iants and infidels. Their number is nearly equal ; 
and what three descriptions of men can be more op- 
posite in principles and views ? Within one age af- 
ter Luther, the reformation completely rent off a 
third part. In the last age, learned menhave idoli- 
zed human reason, and exalted it above revelation. 
This rash and daring progress of infidelity has been 
accelerated by the pious frauds, and impious lives 
of those, who ought to have adorned the sanctuary 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 153 

with their wisdom and virtues. Hence, Jesus 
Christ, the prophets, and the apostles, have been 
associated with these anti-christian priests, and the 
whole of them ridiculed as a succession of wretches 
and impostors. This is the natural consequence 
of combining error and superstition, with the truth 
and simplicity of the gospel. The gold is cast 
away with the dross. Hence but one part, proper- 
ly speaking, now remains attached to the anti-chris- 
tian see. Here we adore the wisdom of provi- 
dence, which obliges those very men, who speak so 
contumeliously of the sacred writers, to confer up- 
on them the highest honour by accomplishing their 
predictions, in a manner so striking and correct. 

VI. We proceed to illustrate two more prophe- 
sies, which seem farther to indicate, that this is the 
time for the universal spread of the gospel. "The 
son of man shall send his angels," or ministers, 

with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall 
gather together his elect from the four winds, from 
one end of the heaven to the other," Matt. xxiv. 
31. " I saw an angel," says John, "fly in the midst 
of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach 
unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every na- 
tion, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying 
with a loud voice, fear God, and give glory unto 
him ; for the hour of his judgment is come ; and wor- 
ship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, 
and the fountains of water. And there followed an- 
other angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen," 
&c. Rev. xiv. 6, 7, 8. From these and other corres- 
pondent passages, we derive information of a very 
important and consolatory nature : 1. that the gos- 
pel shall be preached in every nation and language : 
that it shall be preached amid the four winds or 
commotions and wars which shall agitate the whole 
world: 3. that the holy angels shall superintend 
the missions, and influence the pagans to renounce 



154 INTRODUCTION 

their idols, and to worship the God who made the 
heavens and ihe earth : 4. that this shall be effectu- 
ated previously to the total fall of papal Babylon. 
But we have four or five visions in the Revelation 
of the fall of this empire, which seem to intimate 
that it should fall at so many different periods. — 
And it has fallen at different periods in Germany, 
England, and France. What further signs and ev- 
idences can we ask, that this is the time to propa- 
gate the gospel, than to see the fall of popery, and 
the way so extensively applained to send mission- 
aries abroad '? Can it, in a moral view, be too early 
to save the heathen from &e most horrid and abom- 
inable vices ? or can they ever receive the gospel 
without exertion and expense ? 

VII. The ways and means by which religion 
shall be revived at home, and propagated abroad, 
are also predicted. Th<. Spirit of life from God 
shall enter into his two iaithful witnesses, and they 
shall be exalted to heaven, and in the presence of 
their enemies, Rev. xi, 1 — 12. They are called 
God's two witnesses, because that number is com- 
petent for evidence in the courts of justice; but 
-they comprehend the great cloud and succession of 
witnesses who have prophesred in sackcloth during 
the ages of anti-christ. They have been massa- 
cred in every country of Europe, and their dead 
bodies treated with horrible indignities. The ex- 
termination of heretics has been celebrated by ju- 
bilees at Rome, and by great rejoicings among the 
papal princes. Their situation, however, shall be 
completely reversed. After three days and a half; 
that is, about the expiration of the twelve hundred 
and sixty years, the Lord shall raise up abundance 
of ministers in the spirit of the holy martyrs ; and 
they shall be exalted to heaven, or exceedingly hon- 
oured for their wisdom, piety, and labours. From 
ministers so peculiarly endowed with the spirit of 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 155 

faith and love, we may expect a success in the prop- 
agation of the gospel, correspondent to the prophe- 
cies concerning the latter day's glory of the church. 
The work at first will, of course, be arduous and 
slow, but having once obtained, the " handful of 
corn' 5 will multiply to an abundant harvest, Psalm 
Ixxii, 

ViTL The missionaries will not have proceeded 
far with their work among the heathens, before God 
will afford his church extraordinary consolation and 
aid by the call and conversion of the Jew r s. All 
the . hopes are founded upon prophesy, and from 
prophesy alone will they receive conviction. — ■ 
Whenever they have a prospect, that the Gentile 
world will receive the faith of Christ, they will per- 
ceive that providence is about to establish the Chris- 
tian expositions of those prophesies., and to refute 
the expositions of their rabbins. To evidence, so 
divine and strong, they cannot but acquiesce, and 
shame to be the last to do homage to their king. — 
Hitherto this work has been obstructed by the im- 
morality of the Christian world. But being weari- 
ed, on the one hand, with their misguided expecta- 
tions of a temporal Messiah, and perceivings on the 
other, the success of the gospel among the heathen, 
their ancient prejudices will vanish. The veil, 
which is upon their hearts, when Moacs and the 
prophets are read, shall be taken away. They 
will see their scriptures full of this important truth, 
that the Messiah was to be "cut off, and his soul 
made an offering for sin, before he was to see his 
seed, to prolong his days, and before the pleasure 
of the Lord was to prosper in his hand," Isa. Iiii. 
The dispersion of the Jews, and their preserva- 
tion, as a distinct people, exhibit a grand and in- 
structive scheme of providence. According to the 
prediction of Moses, they are scattered on the face 
of the whole earth, from under one end of heaven 
to the other, Deut. xxviii. 64. They have reject- 



loQ INTRODUCTION 

ed the prophet of whom he spake, and therefore the 
Lord hath cut them off from the land which he gave 
to their fathers. They demonstrate, among all na- 
tions, the sad consequences of making light of the 
gospel, and rejecting the Messiah. But the judg- 
ments of God have mercy for the object. The te- 
dious winter shall be succeeded by a reviving 
spring. When " the times of the Gentiles are ful- 
filled," they shall return to their own land, and the 
Gentiles shall become his own people. " If they 
abide not still in unbelief, God is able to graft them 
in again. Blindness, in part, is happened to Israel, 
until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And 
so all Israel shall be saved in the day of the Lord," 
Rom. xi. 25, 26. 

From the manner in which God has preserved his 
ancient people, we cannot but think, he designs them 
to contribute their share in the establishment of his 
kingdom of righteousness. Resident or wandering 
among all commerical nations, and perfectly ac- 
quainted with their habits, religions, and languages, 
they want but " the residue of the Spirit," to con- 
stitute them an army of missionaries. Their sit- 
uation is peculiarly happy for promoting the con- 
version of many nations on the shores of Asia and 
Africa. When that is the case, " Ethiopia," the 
country of black people, " shall soon stretch out 
her hands unto God," Psal. lxviii. 31. Of this 
we may be confident, that whenever it shall please 
the Almighty to pour out his Spirit upon his ser- 
vants and hand-maidens, the Jews, their sermons 
will not be Juke-warm, but animating and powerful, 
like those of St. Paul. The whole Christian 
church will be revived by the work, and filled with 
acclamations of joy and thanksgiving. "If the cast- 
ing away of Israel were the reconciling of the world" 
by the conversion of the Gentiles, "what shall 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 157 

the receiving of them be but life from the dead ?" 
Rom. xi. 15. 

IX. Whenever the Jews shall return to the Lord, 
the Lord will return to them, and restore them to 
their own country, which he hath sworn to give them 
for an everlasting possession. It is apparent from 
the sixteenth chapter of the Revelation, that during 
the latter period of the papal empire, God shall pour 
out the seven vials of his wrath upon the wicked. 
Five of these, it is presumed by our best writers, 
have already been poured out. The sixth is to fall 
on the Euphrates ; that is, on the Mahometan em- 
pire ; and it will probably open the way for the 
Jews to return to their land. Be that as it may, 
when the time is come, it will be easy with God to 
raise up some Cyrus to patronise their return. 

The conversion of the heathen, and the call of the 
Jews, are associated together by several of the sa- 
cred writers. " In that day there shall be a root 
of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the peo- 
ple : to it shall the Gentiles seek, and his rest shall 
be glorious. And it shall come to pass in that day, 
that the Lord shall set his hand again the second 
time to recover the remnant of his people which shall 
be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pa- 
thros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shi- 
nar, and from Hamath, and from the isles of the sea. 
And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and 
shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather to- 
gether the dispersed of Judah from the four corners 
of the earth," Isa. xi. 10, 11, 12. The people 
being visited in their dispersion with the blessing of 
the gospel, shall joyfully return to their own land, 
and accomplish all those glorious things which are 
spoken of the city of God. They shall collect their 
vast treasures of gold, silver, and merchandise, and 
shaii return, accompanied with artificers, to build 
the city and temple of the Lord, ba.lx. 10. They 



158 INTRODUCTION • 

shall worship him with sacrifices, peace-offerings 
and thanksgivings, as described by Ezekiel the 
prophet, xl. to xlviii. Some shall return by land, 
and floods of difficulties shall flow hack to give them 
passage. Others shall return by sea : the ships 
of Tarshish shall bring God's sons from afar, and 
his daughters from the ends of the earth. w They 
shall return and come to Zion with singing, and 
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads : they shall 
obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing 
shall flee away," Isa. xxxv. 8. See also Isai. ii. % 
3, 4. xxxii. xvi. 14, \b, 16. 

These glorious predictions are totally inapplica- 
ble to the return of the Jews from the Babylonian 
captivity, because it was not connected with the 
conversion of the Gentiles, and they did not return 
from the ends of the earth. The people were not 
all righteous : for the most part they were extremely 
wicked. Their peace was not uninterrupted, and 
their city and temple were in no sense an eternal ex- 
cellency. Indeed, they had very little peace ; and last 
of all, the Romans destroyed both their city and tem- 
ple. All these interesting events remain as yet unac- 
complished ; or else the long established rules of in- 
terpreting the prophesies must be wholly given up, 

The difficulties of the work are assuredly very 
great, but not too great for omnipotence. Having 
begun a divine work in the earth, he will not leave 
it half finished, but carry it on to the day of Christ. 
The age of righteousness shall surely succeed the 
ages of wickedness. His work shall be revived, 
and his gospel propagated with a power which shall 
bid defiance to the sneers of infidelity, and the wide 
influence of hoary idolatry. " Every valley shall be 
exalted, every mountain and hill shall be made low; 
and the crooked places shall be made straight, and 
the rough places plain ; and the glory of the Lord 
shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 159" 

for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it," Isa. xl. 
4,5. "All the ends of the world shall remember 
and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindred of the 
nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom 
is the Lord's, and he is the governor in all the earth," 
Psalm xxii. 27, 28. The creation itself, made 
subject to the vanity of idols, shall be delivered from 
the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty 
of the children of God, Rom. viii. 21. Surely those 
engaged in the divine work cannot want support for 
their faith. 

But reason also, detached from revelation, affords 
now a brighter prospect than it afforded at any 
former period, that the religion of Jesus shall be- 
come the religion of the world. It is so benevolent 
in principle, so simple and sublime in its worship, 
so glorious in its expectation, and so well adapted 
to the present state of man, as to harmonize every 
moral difficulty, to captivate every candid inquirer, 
and to confound every system of error and idolatry. 
Indeed, if we except the apostate ages of the church, 
nothing as yet could ever resist effectively its beau- 
ty and force. It brought destruction on the Jews, 
by their wilful blindness ; it captivated the enlight- 
ened Greeks; it softened the ferocious Romans; 
and converted the barbarous nations who once in- 
habited the north of Europe. Among the polished 
Chinese, it carried all before it, until the idolaters 
opposed its progress by the sword. Hence, from 
past experience, and from the success of present 
feeble essays, little doubt can be entertained, if a 
well conducted mission was established in every 
pagan nation, the time would fast approach when 
" the kingdoms of this world shall become the king- 
doms of our God, and of his Christ." 

X. But let us rejoice with trembling ; for in that 
eventful day, God will awfully punish the unbeliev- 
ing world. There is scarcely a text, which speaks 



160 INTRODUCTION 

ofthe kingdom of Christ, but it either expresses, or 
implies, something concerning the destruction of 
the wicked. When he shall cake the heathen for 
his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth 
for his possession, he will destroy his enemies, as a 
potter's vessel is broken with a rod of iron, Psalm 
i-i. u The nation that will not serve thee shall be 
destroyed ; yea, it shall be utterly wasted away," 
Isa. Ix. 12. u In those days shall be affliction, such 
as was not since the beginning ofthe creation which 
God created unto this time, neither shall be any 
more. Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time 
your heart be overcharged with surfeiting and drunk- 
enness, and with the cares of this life, and so that 
day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall 
it come upon all them that dwell on the face of the 
^HOLE EARTH, Watch therefore, and pray, 
that ye maybe able to escape all those things that 
shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of 
man," Luke xxi. 

It seems apparent from several of the prophets, 
that the Jews, when returned, or partially returned, 
to their own land, shall be assailed with trouble. 
Their riches, commerce, and prosperity, may excite 
the envy and avarice of the unbelievers, and the 
defenceless state of the country embolden their pas- 
sion for military enterprize. This will probably 
be the eventful moment, when " the lying spirit 
shall go forth out of the mouth of the dragon ; and 
out of the mouth of the beast ; and out of the mouth 
ofthe false prophet, to the kings of the earth, and 
ofthe whole world, to gather them to the battle of 
that great day of God Almighty," Rev. xvi. 13. 14. 
The ostensible plea for this allied invasion of Ju- 
dea may be, (for those who engage in wars are care- 
ful to justify themselves) that the aggrandizement 
and prosperity of the Jewish theocracy threaten to 
subvert their kingdoms, and monopolize their com- 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 161 

merce. Be that as it may, these hardened princes 
shall combine, and enter the holy land with vast 
multitudes of their ungodly hosts, and exceedingly 
alarm and terrify the Jews. " In that day there, 
shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourn- 
ing of Hadad rimmon, in the valley of Megiddon ; 
and the land shall mourn, every family apart. And 
they shall look on him Avhom they have pierced," 
Zech. xii. Their expectations of deliverance shall 
be in the crucified Messiah ; and by some manifest- 
ation of himself, he will come and deliver them. — 
"In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants 
of Jerusalem, and he that is feeble among them shall 
be as David. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup 
of trembling unto all (he people round about, when 
they shall be in the siege both against Judea and 
against Jerusalem. All that burden themselves 
with it shall be cut to pieces, though all the people 
of the earth were gathered against it." Zech. xii. 
2, 8. Ezckiel, in bis views of this awful destruction 
of the infidel world, seems to have been more favour- 
ed than any of the ancient prophets. In the thirty- 
eighth and thirty-ninth chapters, we are informed 
at large, that the allied hosts of Gog and Magog 
shall assemble from Persia, Ethiopia, and the 
countries which surround Judea ; that taking ad- 
vantage of the unfortified state of the country, they 
shall combine to ravage it ; that the Lord shall 
destroy them with hail and flames of fire, leaving, 
but a sixth part to escape ; and that the burying 
of their dead bodies shall continue seven months. 
But the. most sublime description of Christ's com- 
ing to destroy those who will not have him to reign 
over them, is found in the nineteenth chapter of the 
Revelation. " I saw heaven opened," says John, 
" and behold a white horse ; and he that sat upon 
him was called Faithful and True, and in righteous- 
ness he doth judge and make war. And his eyes, 
2 



162 INTRODUCTION 

were as a flam c of fire, and on his head were many 
crowns ; and he had a name written that no man 
knew but he himself ; and he was clothed with a 
vesture dipped in blood ; and his name is called the 
Word of God. And the armies which were in heav- 
en followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine 
linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth go- 
eth a sharp sword, that with it lie should smite the 
nations ; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron ; 
and he shall tread the wine-press of the fierceness 
and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his 
vesture, and on his thigh, a name written King cf 
Kings, and Lord of Lords. And I saw an angel 
standing in the sun ; and he cried with a loud voice, 
saying, to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heav- 
en, come, gather yourselves together unto the sup- 
per of the great God ; that ye may eat the flesh of 
kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of 
mighty men ; and the flesh of horses, and the flesh 
of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, 
both bond and free, both small and great. And I 
saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, gather- 
ed together to make war against him that sat on 
the horse, and against his army. And the beast 
was taken, and with him the false prophet that 
wrought miracles before him, with which he deceiv- 
ed them that had the mark of the beast, and them 
that worshipped his image. These both were cast 
alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. — 
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him 
that sat on the horse. And all the fowls- were fill- 
ed with their flesh." 

This extraordinary passage cannot refer to the 
day of judgment. In no sense will the fowls then 
feast on the wicked. It speaks unquestionably of 
that day in which he will come to destroy the ene- 
mies of truth and righteousness, and to establish 
his kingdom in all the earth. And it is highly prob- 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 16$ 

able that it solely refers to the last efforts of Ma- 
hometanism to oppose the spiritual reign of Jesua 
Christ. He had described the rise of that empire, 
chapter the ninth, and it was proper he should also 
describe its destruction. Mahometanism in the 
east, and the pontificate in the west, have both been 
considered as anti-christ, and the scourge of God 
to the apostate church. The former seems to be 
denominated the false prophet, and the latter the 
beast. But others are of opinion, that the beast 
signifies the temporal powers, and the false proph- 
et the spiritual errors of the anti-christian empire. 
However, the surest way for the sinner to profit by 
this prediction is, to fly immediately to Jesus Christ 
for pardon and salvation through his blood. 



SECTION IX. 

CONJECTURES CONCERNING THE IMPORT OF THE PROPHESIES 

WHICH E.ESPECT THE GLORY OF THE CHURCH IN THE 

LATTER DAY. 

Is distinguishing the dispensations of God, the 
sacred writers mostly express themselves in the 
plural number. " The times and seasons — the 
times of the restitution* of all things — the ages past 
— the last times — and, \he last day." And, as the 
past dispensations have exceeded one another in 
manifestations of truth and grace, on the same 
scale, we are confident he will more strikingly dis- 
play, " in the ages to come, the exceeding riches 
of his grace in his kindness towards us through 
Christ Jesus." 

The succession of great and good men, who 
have distinguished themselves in the cause of 
Christianity, though they have differed widely in 
their opinions on this subject, yet have generally 
ngrced, that the age of righteousness shall succeed 
the ages of wickedness. Barnabas affirms, that at- 



164 INTRODUCTION 

ter six thousand years, the Lord will introduce the 
sabbatical millennium of righteousness and peace. 
He assures us, that the six days employed in the 
creation, are typical of the six thousand years of 
labour and sorrow which should afflict mankind : 
and that the seventh day is expressive of the re- 
pose which God will grant his church in the latter- 
day. Hennas, who is mentioned by St. Paul, inti- 
mates, that God will purify his church from all hy- 
pocrisy and vice ; and that he will unite the hearts 
of all men in faith and charity. But the testimo- 
ny of Papias, the disciple of St. John, conferred 
the greatest sanction to the doctrine of the millen- 
nium, because it was supposed that he best under- 
stood the mind of his master on this subject. After 
these, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Irenaeus, Nepos. 
Origin, Victorinus, Lactantius, and Sulpicius Se- 
verus, have borne their testimony to this consola- 
tory doctrine. 

It is, however, presumed, that as these holy and 
venerable fathers were mistaken in some circum- 
stances respecting the anti-christ, they are mistaken 
also with respect to the personal reign of Christ on 
earth, for a thousand years, previously to the gene- 
ral resurrection. This notion placed the doctrine 
of the millennium quite too high. It has given 
great offence to learned men, and induced them to 
explain the prophesies concerning it in a very 
absurd and childish manner. It is plain enough 
from several passages in Isaiah, that mankind will 
be always born in sin, and have need of regenera- 
tion ; that human life will ever be attended with 
labour and sorrow ; and that sin and death will not 
be entirely abolished during the age of righteous- 
ness. Hence, I think, we may fairly conclude, 
that a world in which these evils are not removed, 
cannot be the residence of the Lord of life and 
glory for a thousand years. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 165 

On this subject, further notice of the opinions of 
the primitive fathers, is net immediately requisite, 
since they very judiciously express themselves, for 
the most part, in the language of the sacred scrip- 
tures. In this we shall endeavour to imitate them, 
and class the predicted blessings under proper 
heads. 

May the Almighty, in great condescension, grant 
unto us the wisdom and comfort, which these ex- 
ulted and glorious predictions are calculated to in- 
spire ! 

I. The happy age before us, which has been so 
long the cheering theme of prophesy, and the sup- 
port of the church in all her struggles with the pa- 
gan and the papal beast, shall be ushered in by a 
personal, though transient manifestation of the Son 
of God. In addition to the quotations at the close 
of the preceding section, there are other scriptures, 
not less clear and explicit, in confirmation of this 
doctrine. " Behold," says John, " he cometh with 
clouds, and every eye shall see him ; they also 
who have pierced him shall wail because of him," 
Rev. i. 7. This passage has an evident allusion 
to the twelfth chapter of Zechariah : " And they 
shall look on him whom they have pierced." — 
Hence it is the more proper to apply it to the man- 
ifestation of the Son of God at this eventful pe- 
riod. " Whom the heavens," says Peter, " must 
receive until the times of the restitution of all 
things, which God hath spoke by the mouth of his 
holy prophets, since the world began," Acts iii. 
21. " Then shall the Lord go forth and fight 
against those [infidel] nations, as when he fought 
[for Joshua] in the day of battle. And his feet 
shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, 
which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the 
mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof 
towards the cast, and towards the west, and their 



166 INTRODUCTION 

shall be a very great valley ; and half of the moun- 
tain shall remove toward the north, and half of it 
toward the south. And the Lord my God shall 
eome, and all the saints with thee. And it shall 
come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be 
clear nor dark. But it shall be one day which shall 
be known to the Lord, not day nor night ; but it 
shall come to pass at evening time it shall be light," 
Zeeh. xiv. 3 — 7. 

Those who apply this passage to the darkness at 
our Saviour's cruciiixion, assume a liberty not per- 
mitted to the evangelists ; and they forget that he 
did not then slaughter his enemies, and rend the 
mountain with his feet. 

II. The glorious manifestation of 'the Son of God 
shall, at the same instant, be accompanied with ten 
thousand prodigies and happy events, both in the 
kingdom of nature and of grace. The bodies of all 
the holy martyrs, who, during the pagan and the 
anti-christian persecutions, were beheaded for the 
witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, shall be 
raised up from the dead. Their useful lives were 
shortened on earth, and therefore God shall honour 
them with an earlier resurrection ; and, it seems, 
with an angelic ministry in his kingdom : they shall 
live and reign with Christ a thousand years. This 
is the first resurrection. a Blessed and holy is he 
that hath part in the first resurrection : on such 
the second death hath no power, but they shall be 
priests of God, and of Christ, and shall reign with 
him a thousand years," Rev. xx. 4, 5, 6. Where 
this reign of Christ and the holy martyrs shall be, 
w T e are not permitted to know : it is said only, " I 
saw thrones, and they sat upon them." It is in- 
deed said, by the twenty-four elders, " thou hast 
made us unto our God kings and priests ; and we 
shall reign on [over] the earth," Rev. v. 10. But 
I think it had no peculiar reference to the millen- 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 167 

nium ; it 'rather refers to the promise made to the 
apostles, Matt. xix. 28. and Luke xxii. 29, 30. — ■ 
As our Lord hath said, that the children of the res- 
urrection are equal unto the angels : and as St. 
Paul has distinguished their offices by the dignified 
appellatives of thrones — dominions — principalities 
— and powers, it is not improbable but the holy mar- 
tyrs will be raised to an angelic ministry in the 
kingdom of heaven, and to superintend the church 
in all that glorious prosperity which they so often 
prayed for, and desired to see while on earth. — 
The Lord " will create upon every dwelling-place 
of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud 
and a smoak by day, and the shining of a flaming 
fire by night : for upon all the glory shall be a de- 
fence, " Isa. iv. 5. Should this application of these 
prophesies be admitted, it by no means follows, 
that those who sit on the thrones, and the reigning 
martyrs, will visibly converse with mortals ; there- 
fore,- all the objections which have been made 
against their reigning with Christ on earth fall to 
the ground. This is a moderate opinion, and it was 
embraced by the learned Lactantius. 

III. To the victory of our Lord over the infidel 
world, shall immediately succeed the binding and 
imprisonment of Satan in the bottomless pit for a 
thousand years. " After that he must be loosed 
for a little season, " Rev. xx. 3. O how glorious 
will be the state of the church, and flourishing the 
work of grace upon the soul, when the host of de- 
mons are chased away from this lower region, and 
their places supplied with the holy martyrs ; when 
we shall have every spiritual aid, and no spiritual 
obstruction. 

IV. The manifestation of our Lord is also repre- 
sented as attended with " a great and mighty earth- 
quake," Zech. xiv. 5. This with other changes 
which will then take place in the kingdom of nature, 



IQQ INTRODUCTION 

may produce the most benignant effects on the ele- 
ments, and on the fertility of the earth. " There 
shall be springs in the deserts, and pools in the 
parched ground," Isa. xxxv. The vagrant sands 
of Arabia shall be imprisoned ; the country cover- 
ed with vegetation, and its valleys replenished 
with rivers. The bituminous waters of the lake of 
Sodom shall be healed by a river from the house 
of God, and fishermen shall spread their nets on its 
banks, Ezek. xlvii. 1, 12. The barrenness of the 
earth, and the obstructions of husbandry, were de- 
signed to punish and restrain the wickedness of the 
nations ; and when the wickedness shall be dimin- 
ished, we have a moral certainty, that the righteous 
God will proportionably diminish the difficulties of 
agriculture. The holy scriptures put this beyond 
a doubt, and assure us, that the produce of the 
earth shall then exceed all possible calculation. 
So luxuriant shall be the harvest, that it shall con- 
tinue to the vintage, and the vintage shall contin- 
ue till the seed time. " The mountains shall drop 
down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, 
and the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and 
a fountain shall come out. of the house of the Lord, 
and shall water the valley of Shittim," Joel iii. 18. 
" Then shall the earth yield its increase, and God, 
even our own God, shall bless us," Psalm Ixvii. 6. 
V. The increase of population shall correspond 
with the abundance of vegetation, and with the ag- 
riculture and industry of the husbandman. " A lit- 
tle one shall become a thousand and a strong one 
a great nation. Behold the da} s come, saith the 
Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord, from 
the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner; 
and the measuring line shtfil yet go forth over it 
upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to 
Goath. And the whole valley of the dead bodies. 
and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook 

\ 

\ 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 169 

Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate towards 
the east, shall be holy unto the Lord ; it shall not 
be plucked up or thrown down, any more forever, 1 ' 
Jer. xxxi. 38, 40. All the waste and desolate pla- 
ces shall be inhabited ; the increase of population 
shall be such as to require emigration ; for the land 
shall be too narrow. The children of succeeding 
generations shall say to their fathers, "the place is 
too straight for me ; give place that I may dwell," 
Isa. xlix. 20. So numerous and great are the bles- 
sings which shall descend on this lower world, at 
the times of the restitution of all things, as may, in 
a qualified sense, be termed a new creation. " Be- 
hold I create new heavens and a new earth : I 
create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 
And I will rejoice in Jerusalem and joy in my peo- 
ple : and the voice of weeping shall no more be 
heard in her, nor the voice of crying. There shall no 
more be thence an infant of days, nor an old man 
that hath not filled his days ; for the child shall die 
an hundred years old ; but the sinner being an hun- 
dred years old shall be accursed. And they shall 
build houses, and inhabit them ; and they shall 
plant vineyards, and eat of the fruit of them. They 
shall not build, and another inhabit ; they shall 
not plant, and another eat ; for, as the days of a 
tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall 
long enjoy the work of their hands. The inhabi- 
tants shall not say — 1 am sick ; for t}ie people shall 
be forgiven their iniquities," Isa. lxv. 17, &c. 
From this view of the latter day's glory we learn, 
that mankind will be then much exempt from dis- 
ease, and die in a very old age ; that there will be 
few wicked men ; and that, this new earth must be 
different from that mentioned by Peter and John, 
because death will be here, and some instances of 
fvickcdncss. 



170 INTRODUCTION 

VI. In that happy age, the peace of society and 
the intercourse of commerce will not be interrupt- 
ed by the sound of the trumpet, or the roaring of 
cannon ; for God shall make wars to cease to the 
end of the earth, Psalm xlvi. 9. " Nation shall not 
lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn 
war any more." In that populous state of the world, 
the wild beasts, of course, will be few and all do- 
mesticated. " The wolf shall lie down with the 
lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, 
and the calf, and the young lion, and the fading to- 
gether ; and the little child shall lead them. And 
the cow and the bear shall feed: and their young 
ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall 
eat straw like the ox. They shall not hurt nor des- 
troy in all my holy mountain," Isa. xi. 5, 6, 7, 9. 
And if the Lord can so diminish the ferocity of wild 
beasts, he is able to change the most peevish and 
implacable heart into meekness and love. If Jesus 
speak the word, the lion shall become a lamb. 

VII. Great and inestimable are the blessings al- 
ready enumerated ; but they are very inconsidera- 
ble, if compared with the graces and talents which 
God shall communicate to the saints, and with the 
unction of the Spirit which shall rest on all religious 
assemblies. The penticost will then extend to all 
the earth, and every nation exhibit primitive Christi- 
anity arrived at, a vigorous maturity. The super- 
abundance of knowledge, graces, and gifts, will, in 
some sort, constitute the whole church a royal 
priesthood unto God. They shall all be right- 
eous : and they shall no more teach every man his 
neighbour, and every man his brother, saying — 
know the Lord; for they shall all know him from 
the least to the greatest — The earth shall be full of 
the knowledge of the Lord as waters cover the sea. 

The public worship of that age will have a strik- 
ing resemblance of heaven, and the immense con- 



TO CHRISTIANITT. 171 

gregations be overshadowed with the divine pre- 
sence. All hardness and obduracy shall be re- 
moved from the mind ; all iniquity forgiven ; and 
the laws of Christ written on every heart. When 
they pray, the Lord will answer, and when they 
call, he will say — here am I. The people shall 
shout and sing the praises of their God, and the 
Lord shall rain down righteousness upon them. 
His glory shall enter his holy temple in Judca, by 
the east gate, and dwell on the mercy-seat. He 
will make the place of his feet glorious in the midst 
of them, and he will beautify the house of his glo- 
ry. His altars shall no more be attended, nor his 
sanctuary filled with priests and ministers who dis- 
honour his name : but he will give the people pas- 
tors after his own heart, who shall feed them with, 
knowledge and understanding, Isa. xii. Is. Ezck. 
xliii. Jer. iii. 15. 

Kings, princes, and the most illustrious charac- 
ters, shall esteem it their highest honour to be the 
messengers of the churches, to bring gifts and of- 
ferings to the house of God, and to worship before 
him. Nor shall one nation be jealous of another; 
" for the Lord shall be king in all the earth. His 
dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the 
river to the ends of the earth. The kingdom, and 
dominion, and greatness of the kingdom under the 
whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the 
Most High ; whose kingdom is an everlasting king- 
dom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 
The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this,' 7 
Psal. xxii. Dan. vii. Isa. ix. 6. 

7«<se, erown'd with grace, imperial Salem, Rise ! 
Exalt thy tovv'ry head, and lift thine eyes ; 
See a long- race thy spacious courts adorn, 
See future sons and daug-hters yet unborn ! 
See barb'rous nations at thy gates attend, 
Walk in thy light, and in thy temple bend; 



172 INTRODUCTION 

See thy bright altars throng'd with prostrate kings, 
And heap'd With products of Sabaean springs ! 
For thee Idume's spicy forests Wow, 
And seeds of gold in Ophir's mountains glow. 
See heav'nits sparkling portals wide display, 
And break upon thee in a flood of day ! 

••• The light himself shall shine 

Keveal'd, aad God's eternal day be thine. Pop£= 

What a glorious and desirable state of things is 
here before us ! ! ! A world— full of people, and 
full of plenty. No demons in the air to enflame the 
passions, foment insidious factions, and kindle war 
among the nations. Virtue and truth reigning in 
society ; and health, peace, and joy, blooming on 
every countenance. But they must have their day 
of probation. God hath largely diversified his dis- 
pensations towards mankind, but never interrupted 
C«f ITiGi«! liberty, e,r scccpied any services of man 
which were not voluntary. Accordingly, at the ex- 
piration of the thousand years, Satan shall be loos- 
ed out of prison, and shall go out to deceive the na- 
tions, ^-c. Rev. xx. 7 — 10. 

An awful obscurity veils these events, which are 
so distant and indistinct; and at present it seems 
too daring to comment on the loosing of Satan, 
further than to say, that the piety of that happy age 
shall thereby be put to the test. However, it is 
conjectured, that he will not presume, at first, to 
seduce them into gross wickedness. But, finding 
them dwelling under a benignant sky, and on a soil 
which might vie with paradise, he will endeavour 
to insnare them by the luxuries of their table, which 
must speedily produce effeminacy, idleness and 
want ; and want may induce them to extort supolies 
from those who have plenty. From depredation and 
plunder, they may easily measure back their steps 
into the follies and vices of the apostate ages. At 
least, it is apprehended this may be the "case with 
great numbers in different parts of the earth. This 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 173 

conjecture seems the more probable, because this 
happy age will not be wholly free from wickedness; 
and by consequence, not free from lukewarmness 
in religion. How needful, even then, for every one 
to watch, and to see that his soul be truly alive to 
God, lest he fall on the day of trial. These apos- 
tates having caused severe afflictions to the church 
in many places, may at length be hardened to rebel 
against the Lord, and against the beloved city, 
which will be stored with riches and plenty, and be 
led on by the devil to their own destruction, as the 
first army of Gog and Magog were led on by the 
lying spirits. 

Whether this notion of the apostacy be proper 
or improper, or whatever success Satan may have 
among the nations, we are assured, by many prom- 
ises, that he will have little success against the 
church in Judea. " As I have sworn that the wa- 
ters of Noah should no more go over the earth ; so 
have I sworn that I will not be wroth with thee, nor 
rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and 
the hills be removed ; but my kindness shall not 
depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my 
peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mer- 
mercy on thee. Thy sun shall no more go down, 
neither shall thy moon wane ; for the Lord shall be 
thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourn- 
ing shall be ended," fsa. liv. 9, 10. lx. 20„ 

Short, indeed, will be this last struggle of the 
common enemy; for the Lord Jesus shall be reveal- 
ed from heaven in flaming (ire, to surprise and pun- 
ish the apostate multitudes. "As it was in the 
days of Noah, so shall the coming of the Son of man 
be. They were eating and drinking, marrying 
and giving in marriage, and the flood came and de- 
stroyed them all," Luke xvii. 27. "I saw," says 
John, " a great white throne, and him that sat on 
iti from whose face the earth and the heavens fled 
p 2 



174 INTRODUCTION 

away, and there was found no place for them. — 
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before 
God ; and the books were opened ; and another 
book was opened, which is the book of life ; and 
the dead were judged out of those things which were 
written in the books, according to their works. — 
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. 
This is the second death. And whosoever was not 
found written in the book of life, was cast into the 
lake of fire," Rev. xx. 11 — 15 

What a train of solemnities is here ! The diso- 
lution of heaven and earth. A world of spirits re- 
ceiving their bodies a second time from the dust: 
and as the shepherds used to clear the forests, and 
separate the sheep from the goats, so are the wick- 
ed for ever separated from the good. How glori- 
ous and how qualified is the judge! He searcheth 
all hearts, and there is no secret but is manifest to 
the eyes of him with whom we have to do! The 
books are opened, and correspond with the copy 
in every man's bosom : as a person walking over 
soft ground, leaves the print of his steps behind, so 
are all the motions of our hearts recorded here. — 
Every man is judged according to his works, his 
talents, and his dispensation. The heathen is 
judged according to the law of nature ; the Jew ac- 
cording to the law of Moses ; and the Christian ac- 
cording to the gospel. In righteousness God shall 
judge the world. 

And oh ! how will the wicked bear to see him, 
whom they have rejected and blasphemed, now ex- 
ulted to ineffable glory and dominion ? His mem- 
bers, whom they have persecuted and contemned, 
now seated on thrones ? How will they bear to see 
the incomparable love of Christ, now turned into 
high disdain ; his long-suffering and meekness 
changed into fury and revenge ; to hear that voice 
which so often pronounced blessings, and sai^. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 175 

" come ;" now say, " depart ye cursed into ever- 
lasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" ? 
They have despised his mercy, and must revere his 
justice ; they have hated the light, and darkness is 
their dwelling : they have rejected eternal happi- 
ness, and everlasting misery is their portion. What! 
separated from God — from all good, and hope for 
ever lost !! ! Oh ! how insupportable the thought ! 
Let the sinner timely hearken to Moses and the 
prophets, to Christ and the apostles, that he come 
not into that place of torment. 

The scene shall close by the accession of the 
righteous to the new and everlasting kingdom of 
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Their bodies 
shall be inconceivably beautiful, perfect, and lu- 
minous, like the glorified humanity of Christ. Their 
capacity of happiness shall be matured and enlarg- 
ed ; the many powers and affections of the soul 
which are now obscured in ignorance and infirm- 
ity shall then be unfolded, and gratified with con- 
summate happiness. The soul shall be ennobled with 
a proper degree of intuitive knowledge, immutably 
fixed in the love of God, and no more assailed with 
temptation, or afflicted with evil. Consequently, 
the mediatorial kingdom shall cease, and be deliver- 
ed up to God, even the Father. Then shall we 
see — (and O that God may count us worthy to see!) 
the Lord Jesus, who is above every name that is 
named, at the head of his church, which is his body, 
and the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Rivers 
of knowledge, and pleasure, and happiness, and life, 
shall flow from his throne, and deluge the kingdom 
with the fulness of eternal joy. In the administra- 
tion of his eternal providence, he shall continue to 
disclose the amazing wonders of his love, which 
shall charm the happy worlds before the throne, 
and inspire them with boundless variety of happi 
ness. ever new and increasing in delight. But here, 



1 7t> INTRODUCTION 

like infant princes, who are unacquainted with the 
dignity of their birth, we are unable to anticipate* 
the felicity of that better world. It hath not entered 
the heart of man, the things that God hath prepared 
for them that love him. May the Almighty assist 
us to apprehend them more strongly by faith, and 
by a larger enjoyment of them in our hearts ; that 
we may rejoice in hope, and trample on the vani- 
ties of this world, for the glory that fadeth not away. 
We shall close our views of the scripture prophe- 
sies with a caution, not to indulge ourselves in rash 
and fruitless inquiries concerning the time of Christ's 
approach. We are ever ready to ask, with the dis- 
ciples, when these things shall be, and what signs 
there shall be when these things come to pass. The 
signs of his coming to destroy the wicked city, he 
condescended to give, that they might improve them 
for their own safety ; but concerning the time he 
deemed it sufficient to say, " this generation shall 
not pass away until all these things be fulfilled." 
And when they asked, on another occasion, whether 
he would, at that time, restore the kingdom unto 
Israel ; he told them plainly, that the times and 
seasons for the restoration of the kingdom were con- 
cealed in the counsel of the- Father ; that, previous- 
ly to the introduction of that happy age, the gospel 
must be preached, to the Jews at home, and the hea- 
then in the uttermost parts of the earth. Hence we 
may be fully assured, that the time of our Saviour's 
coming to restore righteousness to a sinful world, 
cannot be discovered by the most accurate calcula- 
tions of the prophetic numbers. Such a disclosure 
would too much take off our attention from present 
duties, and discompose the whole system of moral 
freedom, with regard both to believers and unbe- 
lievers. The signs of his coming are all that hea- 
ven has thought proper to reveal ; and they are quite 
sufficient to raise the hopes, and excite the activity 
of the church. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 177 

We are indeed told, that the anti-christian empire 
should continue a thousand two hundred and sixty 
years ; but we are not told in what year this empire 
commenced. It is said, by Daniel, that the abomina- 
tion which maketh desolate should continue in the 
holy place a thousand two hundred and ninety years. 
He then adds, " blessed is he that waiteth,and com- 
eth to the thousand three hundred and thirty-five 
days,"" or prophetic years; xii. 11, 12. It has 
been conjectured, that the first of these numbers al- 
lows thirty years after the fall of anti-christ for the 
entire cleansing of the sanctuary ; and that the sec- 
ond allows a period of seventy-five years for the 
universal spread of the gospel. Hence it is our best 
wisdom to profit by what we do know, till it shall 
please the Lord further to develope his mysterious 
counsel. Let us not, while we ask when the king- 
dom of God shall come, neglect, like the scribes and 
pharisecs, to look for it in our own hearts. If it be 
not there, in vain should we be permitted to see it 
in the earth. Except we be converted, and become 
as little children, we shall in nowise enter the king- 
dom of heaven. What joy could we have at his 
approach, unless he were our Lord, and unless we 
were his servants. Let it therefore be our constant 
prayer, that he would enter our hearts in the regen- 
erating power of his Holy Spirit, and create us 
anew in righteousness and true holiness. Let us, 
by patient continuing in well doing, seek for honor, 
glory, immortality, and eternal life. 



11$ INTRODUCTION 

SECTION X. 

INTERNAL EVIDENCES OF THE TRUTH AND REASONABLENESS 
OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION ; OR, A DEMONSTRATION THAT 
IT IS AS WORTH! OF THE WrSDOM, POTVER, AND GOODNESS 
Or GOD, AS THE WORKS OF CREATION AND PROVIDENCE. 

" The glorious gospel of the blessed God." paul. 

Before entering on this subject, which is confined 
to the province of reason, it would be happy if every 
one could ascertain, so far as to satisfy his own mind, 
the nature and degrees of evidence, which man in 
his dark and depraved state ought to expect of the 
truth of revealed religion. If the evidences of fu- 
ture glory were more strong to good men, the ravish- 
ment of hope would induce them to disregard the 
duties of life ; and if the evidences of the truth of 
Christianity were more strong to bad men, their 
moral liberty would be destroyed, and faith would 
no longer purify the heart. But if these evidences 
rise to such a mediocrity as to render men virtuous 
by receiving, or vicious by rejecting them, in my 
opinion, they highly accord with the moral govern- 
ment of God, and are such as we ought to expect. 
It is apparently for this reason, that the Deity con- 
ceals himself in his works of creation and provi- 
dence, that mankind may become wise and virtuous 
by constant endeavours to trace his perfections. 

The grandeur of God in the creation, and the 
harmony of the universe, have ever commanded the 
admiration of mankind. The variety of herbs and 
trees, flowers and fruits ; the degrees of heat and 
cold, moisture and drought; the proportion of night 
and day to the labour and rest of men ; and the 
length of summer to the growth and maturity of 
fruits, demonstrate that God has given a perfect fin- 
ish to all his works ; nor can the wisdom and expe- 
rience of ages prove how any creature could have 
been better made, or more happily arranged. Hence 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 170 

it is inferred, that if Christianity be also of God, 
there ought to be a harmony and propriety in all its 
parts, which correspond with the works of creation 
and providence, and do equal honour to his wisdom, 
power, and goodness. According to these received 
and equitable principles, let us, with undisguised 
sincerity and proper diffidence, presume to examine 
the Christian faith ; and I hope it will fully appear, 
that God has done what was best and fittest to be 
done for the restoration of his once noble, but now- 
apostate, offspring. 

I. In the first instance, there can be no absurd- 
ity in supposing that God, who hath permitted the 
fall, might also permit the recovery of man, or re- 
store him by some means to the divine favour.- 
This, we may presume, he has done from a survey 
of his kindness to the sinful world. Vile and un- 
grateful as we are, he indulgently supplies ourwants, 
and heals our diseases ; and shall he not heal the 
immortal spirit, which is by far the most excellent 
part of all his works ? Shall he not have compassion 
on the wounded conscience, and give hope and glory 
to the desponding mind ? 

II. It will be also admitted, that the Creator only 
could restore his degenerate creatures, and repair 
the ruins of our nature. Man is altogether inca- 
pable of renewing his soul in the divine image, and 
of regaining his forfeited paradise ; feeble and inef- 
fectual would all his endeavours be to emancipate 
himself from the fetters of sin and death, if unassisted 
by the power of God. And to expect restoration 
by a system of pure mercy, would obscure the di- 
vine justice, and be a daring presumption against 
the equity of providence, which so awfully punishes 
the wicked. A system of pure mercy, in the present 
state of things, would have been extremely ruinous 
to the morality of human nature ; and how far it 
might have affected angels, we are incapable of 
judging, Eph. iii. 10. 



180 INTRODUCTION 

III. We may therefore bring forward the grand 
question, and ask, what happier method could have 
been adopted to redeem and save mankind, than for 
one of the human race to be replenished with the 
fulness of the godhead : to be sanctified from his 
mother's bosom; to die meritoriously ; and to take 
our humanity in triumph to heaven ? Being inno- 
cent in his person, and divine in his nature, his 
death must be vicarious, and his merits of infinite 
worth. And could any method of recovery more 
strikingly display the equity of God, than for the 
nature which sinned to suffer ? Or could his love of 
justice be more strongly made manifest than by the 
gift and punishment of his beloved Son? Are not 
these merits every way commensurable to the expi- 
ation of guilt ; and is it not every way compatible 
with the divine government to accept of these as our 
propitiation? Let this inquiry be exemplified. — 
Have we deserved the frowns of Almighty God 1 
the Son hath trodden the wine-vat of the fierceness 
of his wrath. Have we made ourselves liable to 
the curse of the law ? he was made a little lower 
than the angels, and tasted death for every man. — 
Have we lost our innocence and rectitude ? he was 
made a sin-offering for us, who knew no sin, that 
we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 
J proceed : the Creator having permitted our fall 
and ruin to take place in the first Adam, does it not 
vindicate his justice from the imputation of severity, 
that he hath permitted our recovery by Jesus Christ, 
the second Adam ? If our original depravity was 
without our fault, our redemption was without our 
help. If we derive a corrupt and depraved nature 
from our parents, we may obtain a divine nature 
by Jesus Christ. If the fall was attended with 
the loss of paradise, the recovery invests us with 
the kingdom of heaven, and with innumerable 
blessings which did not belong to a state of in- 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 181 

nocence. " Not as the transgression so is the 
free gift. Where sin hath abounded grace hath 
much more abounded." We are now initiated into 
the mysteries of the glorious person and grace of 
God the Redeemer. Man has here no cause of 
complaint against his Maker, but he is laid under 
the highest obligations of gratitude and love. 

IV. In all disputes and differences which arise be- 
tween nations or individuals, it js safest to refer 
them to a wise and virtuous arbitration. The hav- 
ing recourse to arms, or law, is a very unhappy 
way of terminating misunderstandings. On this 
principle, nothing can be objected against the me- 
diatorial scheme by Jesus Christ. He is perfectly 
qualified for the office, being God and Man in his 
glorious person ; and consequently, equally con- 
cerned for the divine honour, and the happiness of 
human nature. In him our affairs are in the hands 
of a friend, a brother, and a covenant God. And 
would we wish to take them out of his hands, and 
manage them ourselves, or transfer them to some 
Socinian Saviour? 

V. Does any scheme of happiness, ever presented 
to the world, afford such comfort and hope as a 
view of the perfection and glory to which the hu- 
man nature is elevated in the person of Jesus Christ ? 
He was once encompassed with our infirmities, and 
with the sorrows of death ; but now is exalted to 
ineffable glory, and invested with immortality and 
life. 1 say, in his glorious person ; for in the resur- 
rection and ascension of our blessed Lord, we have 
more than visionary schemes of happiness. All is 
substance and reality. " Handle me," said he, 
" for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me 
have." He showed himself alive after his passion 
for the space of forty days, talked with his disci- 
ples at large concerning his kingdom, and permitted 
them to witness his ascension into heaven. 



182 INTRODUCTION 

VI. The entrance of the Son of God into this low- 
er world was not without a happy arrangement and 
preparation for his coming. A succession of pro- 
phesies and promises had illuminated the ancient 
dispensations with increasing lustre ; and had so 
delineated his character as must have distinguished 
him from the sons of men, and insured the detection 
of all impostors. His offices and sufferings had 
been adumbrated by a grand assemblage of rituals, 
and the unfading glory of the gospel church reflect- 
ed back by the transient splendour of the Jewish 
temple. He came to enlighten the nations, and as- 
sumed the office of a supreme teacher. He came 
to be a pattern of all rectitude and virtue, and placed 
himself on a level with mankind. He was subject 
to pain, poverty, sorrow, and death. He did not 
choose a savage and untutored age for his advent, 
but an age when government, commerce, and 
science had civilized the nations, and rendered them 
more capable of embracing the gospel revelation. 
He did not reside in some solitary island, or remote 
part of the world, but in Judea, the centre of the 
nations. And the Jews being the only people who 
had retained the pure knowledge and worship of 
God, and the promises of the Messiah, which all 
other nations had nearly lost, it was highly proper he 
should appear among them, and confirm the cove- 
nants made to their fathers. We may also add, that 
his death being the greatest event that could occur in 
the history of mankind, it was not proper that it 
should have taken place in the first age of the world ; 
for then but one family could have attested the 
tragic scene, and the evidence would have been 
too much obscured by remote antiquity : nor was it 
proper to have been delayed till near the end of 
the world, lest despondency should have deprived 
us of our hope. The happy accordance of all these,- 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 183 

and other occurrences, demonstrate an arrangement 
of our redemption which is worthy of the ruler of 
the universe, and ought to command the veneration 
of mankind. The harmony in the kingdom of grace, 
in every respect, coincides with the harmony of 
creation and providence. 

VII. We shall next take a view of the fulness of 
the gospel for completing the great work of regen- 
eration, and making the soul a habitation of God 
through the Spirit. Have we all strayed from the 
fold of innocence ? the good shepherd is come tp 
seek and save that which is lost. Are we sur- 
rounded with the shades of darkness and death ? 
the light of life breaks in upon the mind, and disco- 
vers the paths of righteousness and peace. Are 
we defiled with our numerous iniquities ? here is 
the fountain open for sin and for uncleanness. Do 
we find ourselves weak when exposed to tempta- 
tions ? we are directed to weaken our corruptions 
by reasonable self-denial, and aided to vanquish 
them by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Is there a. 
strong aversion in our hearts to the ways of holi- 
ness or duties of religion ? the Lord overpower-; 
our enmity with such a cloud of mercies and fa- 
vours, that we can no longer resist the charms of 
his grace. Is there danger lest the heart should be 
lifted up with the communications of God's love ' 
he rectifies our comforts with crosses, and our tal- 
ents with infirmities. In making sacrifices for reli- 
gion and in suffering present evils, do we need the 
support of a future retribution ? "rejoice,' 1 says the 
Lord, u and be exceeding glad, for groat is \uiir 
reward in heaven." Labouring under the com- 
plicated burdens of pain, sorrow, sickness, and 
death, what refuge can be so suitable as an ap- 
proach to the wounded side (-tour incarnate Gi 
He has himself borne our sicknesses, and knows 
how to give comfort and hope to his dying saints. 



IS4 INTRODUCTION 

Being depressed with increasing infirmities, and 
daily more weary of the insupportable wickedness 
of the age ; and having by long habits of piety, be- 
come matured in grace, and filled with the love of 
heaven ; what can be more reasonable, than for 
God to indulge his servants with a translation to a 
better world ; that the soul, returning back to God, 
may shake off the cumbrous body, and find the 
fulness of felicity in his bosom ? Surely, then, the 
plenitude of the gospel corresponds with the mu- 
nificence of nature ; and these gifts of mercy and 
love are worthy of the Creator's bounty. 

VIIF. The radiance of the gospel having made 
a proper distinction between truth and error, vice 
and virtue, what happier method could have been 
adopted for the preservation of piety, than to asso- 
ciate the righteous in Christian fellowship ? Who- 
ever repented of his sins, and believed in the god- 
head of Christ, (Acts viii. 37.) was admitted to 
baptism ; and being baptized with the Holy Ghost, 
he was instructed to consider himself as one with 
the great body of saints, both in heaven and earth. 
This was the badge of distinction between the world 
and the ciiurch. Nothing, 1 think, can be more 
beautiful, than the views which the scripture gives 
us of the endearing fellowship and love which sub- 
sists in the church of God. In affinity, they are all 
of the houshold of faith, and of the family of heav- 
en : they have one father, even God, and are all 
brethren in Christ Jesus. If the dwelling of the 
Lord with his people be spoken of, they are called 
his temple, having Christ for their foundation and 
glory. Every Christian is a living stone in that 
mansion, or a habitation of God through the Spirit. 
If the assistance they afford one to another be con- 
sidered, they are denominated the body of Christ, 
and members one of another. When the scriptures 
speak of their fruitfulness and graces, they are said 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 185 

to be branches of Christ, the true vine, and to glo- 
rify God by bringing forth much fruit. How amia- 
ble are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts ! How 
blessed are these thy servants, who sit at thy feet 
and hear thy wisdom ! How happy is that society 
which knows no distinctions but those that are di- 
vine ! He chooses wisely who says, this people 
shall be my people, and their God shall be my 
God. 

IX. Yet our views of this society must be very 
incomplete, till the laws by which it is governed 
are considered. We are commanded to make God 
our supreme happiness ; to love him with all our 
heart, and mind, and strength ; to submit cheerful- 
ly to' his will, for he chooses always what is best 
for his creatures ; to supplicate his mercy and for- 
giveness ; and to offer him the unceasing sacrifices 
of adoration, prayer, and thanksgiving. In regard 
to ourselves, we are enjoined to preserve our bodies 
in temperance, chastity, sanctification and honour; 
to watch the motions of our hearts, lest we are en- 
snared with vice ; to repress all selfish and inordi- 
nate passions; to take up our daily cross ; to sus- 
tain the salutary afflictions of life with the hope 
of future glory ; and to place our whole dependence 
on the never-failing providence of God, who will 
crown our industry with plenty. In society, we 
are commanded to love our neighbours as ourselves ; 
to do to others as w r e would that they should do i<y. 
us ; to practice justice, mercy, and truth ; to live 
as little children, artless and free from guile ; to be 
unsuspicious in our temper, and fervent ^n charity ; 
to shun the appearance of evil ; to refrain from do- 
ing injuries; and to forgive one another; to be 
meek, patient, gentle, and easy to be entreated ; 
not rendering evil for evil, but overcoming evil with 
good ; and to be perfect in all these virtues, as ot$r 
Father which is in heaven is perfect. 



186 INTRODUCTION 

Now, where is the system of superstition, of phi- 
losophy, or of daring infidelity, that ever presented 
the world with a system of morals like this? De- 
tached precepts, are, indeed, found in their wri- 
tings, similar to those of the gospel ; but no regu- 
lar system can be collected from their works. The 
philosophers, who really did believe in a future 
state, were so bewildered with the vanity of human 
passions, and with the mixture of good and evil in 
the world, that they were unable, without the aid 
of revelation, to draw the proper line of morality. 
And the priests were regardless what sort of lives 
the people led : it was enough if they were vota- 
ries to the prevailing superstition, and brought 
their offerings to the temple. We, therefore, ap- 
peal to the bar of enlightened reason and hoary 
experience ; and ask, whether the morality of the 
gospel be not admirably calculated to remedy the 
evils which afilict society ? whether any antidote 
can operate so efficaciously in calming vindictive 
passions, as meekness, forbearance, and kindness ? 
Esau w 7 as pacified and softened by the presents 
and submission of his brother. It was a just sub- 
mission for his treachery, and an effect of sincere 
piety, having conversed the preceding night with 
God. Saul also, when he found that David had 
taken his spear, and spared his life, exclaimed, 
"Thou art more righteous than I." And "why 
should we not prefer," says Neckar, u religious 
principles, which prevent crimes, to the rigors of 
law, which punish them." What is so likely to 
induce masters to be humane and equitable, as a 
belief that one is their master who is in heaven ? 
What can so efficaciously induce men to be holy, 
as a conviction of the omnipresence of God ; or 
deter them from secret wickedness, as a persua- 
sion that God shall judge the secrets of men by Je- 
sus Christ ? 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 187 

We may have a more comprehensive view of 
the excellency of Christianity, by asking, what the 
effects would be, supposing a whole nation were 
to embrace the doctrines, and imitate the piety, of 
Jesus Christ? Guilt, fear, and shame would soon 
be chased away from its coasts. The civil power 
would scarcely need the aid of penal statutes ; for 
the love of rectitude and order would pervade all 
ranks of society ; and the admonitions of the aged 
would be sufficient to repress the indiscretions of 
youth. Property would all be secure without the 
precautions of locks and bars 5 for habits of tem- 
perance and industry would raise the people above 
the temptations of poverty, and the meanness of 
fraud. The poor, whom age or infirmities had ren- 
dered incapable of labour, would then be support- 
ed, not as paupers, but as brethren or lathers in the 
Lord. The love of God and the love of man 
would inspire every bosom, and songs of praise 
would dwell on every tongue. 

I am happy in having it in my power to say, 
that I have witnessed these effects of Christianity 
in a considerable number of families within the 
circle of my religious acquaintance. Their cheer- 
ful piety, their heavenly conversation, their amia- 
ble tempers and obliging simplicity of manners, 
have been, to me, as the fragrance of herbs amid 
the heat of summer. I have approached the cham- 
bers of expiring saints, and seen their countenan- 
ces sparkle with immortal hope. I have seen 
them look with scorn on the pageantry and vanity 
of this world, and put their feet on the neck of the 
king of terrors. They have exulted in receiving 
the baptism of their crucified Lord, and their fault- 
ering accents have so expatiated on his dying love, 
and on the glory of heaven, as to make me envi- 
ous of their situation. Here is realized all that 
history has said of the constancy and courage of 



183 INTRODUCTION 

the holy martyrs. Surely then, that religion must 
be from God, which endows us with these divine 
supports, in the extremities of nature, and brings 
so large a portion of heaven into the human 
breast. 

The Christian system is far too perfect to be of 
human invention. The grandeur and sublimity of 
its docrines, its internal plenitude and purity, its 
rewards and punishments, and the consummate har- 
mony of all its parts, give it a finish, which happily 
corresponds with the works of creation and provi- 
dence. If this system be compared with literary 
productions, with codes of civil law, with epic 
poems, or with the most approved moral systems, 
it exceeds them as much as the works of nature 
exceed the works of art. And can it be supposed, 
that Peter and his brethren framed a system, which 
infinitely exceeds them all ? Had they fabricated 
the gospel, they would, at least, have imitated the 
philosophers and poets, in taking some part of the 
honour to themselves. But with one voice they 
all affirm, that they received these things of the 
Lord Jesus. " We are not sufficient of ourselves 
to reason out or collect any of them : our sufficien- 
cy is of God." 

I therefore conclude, that a religion which gives 
us the sublimest ideas of the divine perfections, of- 
fers him the purest worship, and discovers an hon- 
ourable way of suffering sinners to approach him : 
a religion which regulates all our passions, pre- 
sents us with a suitable scheme of regeneration, 
discloses a ravishing prospect, of a future state, and 
elevates the human nature to all possible happiness 
and glory in heaven, is every way worthy of the 
author of nature, and the ruler of the universe. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 189 

SECTION XL 

A GENERAL, VIEW OP THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL EVIDEN- 
CES OF THE INSPIRATION OF MOSES, THE PliOPHETS, AND 
THE APOSTLES; AND OF THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY. 

" Nihil magnum sine afjiatu divino." 
" Nothing 1 is great without the diviue inspiration." 

I. By inspiration is meant, a revelation of the 
good pleasure of God, which could not have been 
discovered by the light of nature. 

1, This was frequently made to the patriarchs by 
a personal appearance of the Messiah. Sometimes 
he appeared in a fiery cloud, and sometimes he veil- 
ed his glory in the human form. In this way, Moses 
was favoured with the greater part of his revelations 
respecting the Jews. He presented himself before 
the cloudy pillar, and received the living oracles im- 
mediately from God. 

2. To Abimelech, Pharaoh, Solomon and others, 
the Lord spake in dreams. The dreams were natu- 
ral, but the agency was divine. It seemed natural 
for Pharaoh to dream of seven thin ears of corn, and 
of seven full ears ; but the seven years of plenty, 
and the seven years of famine which followed, de- 
monstrated both the dream and the interpretation to 
be of God. This, among innumerable occurrences, 
illustrates the doctrine of a particular providence. 
Because the universe is governed by an established 
order, and the seasons follow one another without 
interruption, impious men have presumed, either 
that there is no God, or that 



The universal cause, 



" Acts not by partial but by general laws." 

So it may seem to those w T ho have never considered 
providence in a moral view. But in the year 1799 
and 1300, he afflicted this country with short har- 



190 INTRODUCTION 

vests, and gave our German neighbours, in the same 
parallel of latitude, very abundant crops ! 

3. The third and the most frequent way of receiv- 
ing the divine communications was by vision ; that 
is, by a supernatural representation of an object to 
the mind while the person was awake. This seems 
the only circumstance in which it differed from reve- 
lation made by dreams. 

4. Divine communications were sometimes made 
to holy men, by what is termed plenary inspiration. 
They were suddenly filled with the divine impetus, 
and broke forth in extemporaneous effusions of dis- 
course or song, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

5. Revelation was frequently accompanied by mi- 
racles. These were sometimes performed to confirm 
a young prophet in the belief of his mission. The 
Lord gave Moses in his rod a double sign concern- 
ing his mission to Pharaoh ; and Gideon required a 
double sign concerning his call to emancipate his 
country. Miracles were also performed to establish 
the truth of unaccomplished predictions, and to con- 
vert the people to the true religion. When the man 
of God cried against the altar of Bethel, and an- 
nounced to Jeroboam and his priests, that their 
idol should prove their destruction, and that a child 
should be born who would burn men's bones upon 
it, he gave them a sign, by rending the altar, and 
scattering the ashes, 1 Kings xiii. 

6. The inspiration of holy men was limited to 
the object in view. Heaven was not profuse of its 
choicest favours, and the prophets would have laid 
down their lives sooner than have added conjecture 
to revelation. Isaac was instructed to bless his 
son, but he knew not that he was blessing Jacob 
instead of Esau. Moses did not know the object 
of the tribes who wished for an inheritance on the 
eastern banks of the Jordan. Samuel did not know 
the voice of God till he had called the third time ; 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 191 

and when sent to anoint the son of Jesse king over 
Israel, he did not know the youth till the Spirit had 
pointed him out. And Elisha, another of the great 
prophets, frankly confessed his ignorance of the 
Shunamite's sorrow when she prostrated at his feet. 
The apostles, in like manner, though filled with the 
Holy Ghost, did not know that the Gentiles were 
to be received into the church until first proselyted 
to Judaism. 

7. With regard to the style and composition of 
the sacred writings, though the Holy Spirit dicta- 
ted the language, he nevertheless condescended to 
human weakness, by allowing the inspired person 
to express himself in his usual manner. Isaiah 
was a man of distinction and literature, which ac- 
counts for the purity and elegance of his style. — 
Amos was a herdsman : hence his language is 
plain, and his similes correspond with his occupa- 
tion and simplicity ; but his unction is worthy of 
iiis cause. 

8. Some good men have thought, without suffici- 
ent examination, that the historical books of the 
Old Testament were written with less inspiration 
than the prophetic writings. But if it be consider- 
ed, that these books exhibit a grand scheme of prov- 
idence concerning the sins and punishment of the 
wicked, the sufferings and preservation of the righ- 
teous ; that they are replete with important predic- 
tions ; that they are often cited in the New Testa- 
ment, as divine books ; we must regard them as 
composed under the peculiar influences of the Holy 
Spirit. " All scripture is given by inspiration of 
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for 
correction, and instruction in righteousness." 

II. The inspiration of Moses as a prophet, and 
his credibility as a historian, are sufficiently confirm- 
ed by evidence from his works. 



192 INTRODUCTION* 

1 . The account he has given us of the creation is 
perfectly philosophical, and amazingly sublime. — 
But the fragments we have concerning it in the wri- 
tings of the Egyptians, the Chaldees, and the Chi- 
nese, are extremely absurd, and they terminate in 
fable and confusion. Hence there is no absurdity 
in presuming, that he derived his knowledge from 
a purer source. 

2. Moses lived in an age of the grossest ignorance 
and superstition, in which divine homage was paid 
to beasts and herbs ; and he has given us an idea of 
the being and perfections of God, which has never 
been improved. Whence then, if not divinely in- 
spired, could he so far excel all the writers who 
lived near his age, and arrive all at once to a perfect 
knowledge of theology ? 

3. Moses has also written an account of the origin 
of evil ; the destruction of the world by the deluge ; 
the confusion of languages at Babel ; and the gene- 
alogy of the families who populated the earth. — 
These are historic occurences of the greatest no- 
toriety ; and they could not have been unknown to 
the ancient writers among the heathen. But these 
writers, according to the usage of their age, have 
involved the whole of tradition in fable. The theo^- 
gony of Homer is intolerably faulty in this respect. 
The pagan priests, to induce the people to pay di- 
vine honours to the deceased patriarchs, feigned 
them all to be descended from the superior gods by 
monstrous amours, conceptions, and births. But 
the disguise may be removed by reading Adam for 
Saturn, Eve for Pandora, Eden for the garden of 
Jupiter, Noah for Ogyges or Deucalion, Lot and 
his wife, who fled from Sodom, for Orpheus and 
Eurydice, Abraham and Sarah, who dwelt under the 
oak at Mamre, for Pjiilemon and Baucis. Most of 
these elucidations of pagan fable have been success- 
fully urged by the primitive fathers in their books 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 193 

against the Gentiles, in favour of the Mosaic histo- 
ry. The names of cities and nations mentioned by 
Moses, have also been occasionally identified by 
several of the ancient:: ; and latterly the learned 
Bochart has rendered essential service to religion, 
by exhibiting them in a general view. The cred- 
ibility of Moses, concerning the origin of nations 
from the patriarch Noah, is further confirmed by 
their similarity in important customs. It is observ- 
ed by Homer, that they all respect the seventh day; 
and by Aristotle, that, both the polished and barba- 
rous nations number by tens. And no man will de- 
ny, that all nations, however they differ in colour, 
or in smaller customs, have offered sacrifices to the 
deity, and honoured the memory of the dead. 

4. Jf Moses were not divinely inspired, it appears 
from his writings that he was extremely defective 
in judgment; and of this he has never been accu- 
sed, [fe prohibited the Jews from ploughing and 
sowing their land the seventh year, and from reap- 
ing that which grew of itself. He promised, con- 
trary to the course of nature, that the sixth year 
should produce a double quantity of grain. God 
seems to have intended this sabbatical year to be a 
figure of the peace and abundance which he w[]{ 
give the church in the latter day. The Jews were 
really a nation of wonders. But, if this law had 
not been confirmed by providence, it would have 
ruined the whole Mosaic system. The wits vyould 
have made very free with Moses as a prophet ; they 
would have said, that however great he might h -tve 
been as a statesman, he certainly was not maturely 
skilled in agriculture. This law was observed in 
Israel till the ten tribes revolted from the hquse of 
David, and elected Jeroboam for their king. From 
the time of this revolt and apostacy to the Babylo- 
nian captivity, was four hundred and ninety years, 
which included seventy sabbatical years. Then 
u 



194 INTRODUCTION 

the Lord awfully removed the ten tribes, that the 
land might enjoy her sabbaths. The captivity of 
Judah and Benjamin was not more than fifty-six 
years. Let this be a warning to the Christian 
world to keep holy the sabbath-day ; for God has 
guarded its sanctity by his judgments. 

5, The disinterestedness of Moses is a strong pre- 
sumption that he was a man of perfect integrity, and 
actuated by the divine injunctions. He had seen 
the whole nation frequently revolt, and once apos- 
tatize to gross idolatry ; yet, when giving laws 
concerning the division of the land, he gave his own 
tribe no portion but the tenths. Must he not have 
foreseen, that if this inconstant people should once 
more change their religion, his brethren would all 
be ruined ? In the appointment of a successor, like- 
wise, his own children and relatives were overlook- 
ed, and Joshua was nominated from another tribe. 
The man must be insensible of the sentiments of a 
father who does not feel the force of this argument, 
and revere the legislator of Israel. 

III. In like manner, the character of the holy 
prophets is perfectly agreeable to the exalted no- 
tions we might reasonably form of ministers inspi- 
red of heaven. Their call was extraordinary, their 
piety deep, and unshaken by calamities ; their per- 
secutions were various, and often extended to mar* 
tyrdom ; and their lives were wholly devoted to the 
exercise of their divine mission. The simplicity 
and majesty of their style ; the strength and deci- 
sion of their arguments ; their contempt of danger, 
and courage in reproving kings, give us a sublime 
character of God speaking to the nations by the 
ministry of his anointed servants. Well might the 
Jews, after seeing the honour which providence had 
conferred upon them by the accomplishment of their 
predictions, rebuild and ornament their sepulchres, 
though their fathers had killed them. Well might 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 195 

they preserve and reverence their divine writings, 
and count the words, and syllables, and letters in 
each book, to prevent, in transcription, either fraud 
or error. 

IV. Concerning the plenary inspiration of the holy 
apostles no doubt can be entertained by those who 
revere the scriptures. The Lord promised that the 
Comforter should teach them all things, and guide 
them into all the truth, which concerned either 
their salvation, their ministry, or the government 
of the churches. Hence, when writing concerning 
the liberty of the Gentile converts with regard to 
Jewish customs, they said " it seemeth good to us, 
and to the Holy -Ghost." St. Paul affirms express- 
ly, that the gospel he preached was not after man, 
nor by man ; neither was he taught it but by the 
revelation of Jesus Christ. In another place, when 
extolling the Christian above the Grecian philos- 
ophy, he says, " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, 
neither have entered the heart of man, the things 
which God hath prepared for them that love him. — 
But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit; 
for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep 
things of God. Which things also we speak, not 
in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but 
which the Holy Ghost teacheth." 

Conformably to this, he required the churches to 
read his letters in public, as they read the writings 
of Moses and the prophets, and to obey them as 
from God. u If any man," says he, " think himself 
to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge 
that the things which I write unto you are the com- 
mandments of the Lord. He, therefore, that des- 
piseth, despiseth not man but God, who hath also 
given us his Spirit," 1 Cor. xiv. 37. 1 Thess. iv. 8. 

V. Concerning the truth and purity of the apos- 
tolic testimony in behalf of their divine master, a 
reasonable inquirer may have all the satisfaction he 



196 INTRODUCTION 

can ask. This is a subject of the greatest import- 
ance, and it demands the minutest consideration. 
Let us attend to its nature and force. 

1. It is agreed by believers and unbelievers, thar 
Jesus Christ was an extraordinary personage, a 
popular preacher, and crucified by the Jews. 

2. His disciples attended him for three years in 
Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria; and they have 
-elated the substance of his discourses, both in pub- 
lic and private, the miracles he performed in their 
presence, and the promises he made them previous- 
ly to his crucifixion. They affirm that they saw 
him alive after his resurrection, and that they fre- 
quently conversed with him, sometimes in con- 
siderable numbers, for the space of forty days. — 
They relate the important conversations which 
took place at each of these interviews ; they more 
than once examined the wounds in his body •, and 
they beheld when he was taken up into heaven. — 
These were plain facts, in which there was not the 
least possibility of their being deceived. 

3. The apostles were plain, artless men, who de- 
voted themselves to the conversion of mankind from 
error to truth, from siu to holiness, and from the 
power of Satan to God. Therefore their whole 
life and character correspond with ail we might 
expect of men employed in a divine mission. 

4. They must have been either the best or worst 
of men, since they could not be deceived in evi- 
dence and facts so extensive and plain. 

5. Had they been bad men, and impostors, they 
would, on some occasion or other, have discover- 
ed their forgery. Probably not less than a thou- 
sand hypocritical men must have been concerned in 
forging this single article, the resurrection of Jesus 
Christ; and to suppose, that not one of them ever 
discovered it either through friendship, through a 
quarrel, through apostacy, through persecution or 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 197 

the force of conscience in a dying hour, implies 
that the)' were men altogether dissimilar to those 
of the present age. 

6. Had the disciples of Jesus been deceived in 
forming too high an opinion of their master ; had 
he never realized the solemn promises he made 
them previously to his crucifixion, it is more than 
probable, that they would have retired to their hous- 
es, and not have persevered in a cause, which af* 
forded neither honour, ease, nor wealth. 

7. Their testimony exposed them to the rage 
^and hatred of the priests, to the contempt of the 
learnec^ to the sword of the magistrates, and what 
is more intolerable, to the fury of the populace ; 
yet they persevered, and cheerfully laid down their 
lives in confirmation of their doctrine. 

8. The apostles and their brethren in the minis- 
try were not the emisaries of either court or faction : 
they were not employed in making proselytes to 
any popular religion : they did not, like the disci- 
ples of Mahomet, propagate the faith by the point 
of the sword ; they sometimes laboured with their 
hands, and frequently suffered both nakedness and 
hunger : they were never accused of seeking rich- 
es or repose ; never, therefore, was human testi- 
mony more pure or free from suspicion. 

9. They bore their testimony in the nation, and 
in the cities in which these things were d mc : they 
bore it at the time they were done, and in the face 
of those rulers who had crucified their Master, and 
who wanted neither power nor inclination to detect 
and punish them. This they could not have done, 
had they not been supported by truths and facts 
which became more distinguished by opposition. 
It was no more possible for them to persuade a 
large proportion of the Jewish nation to believe in 
a crucified person for salvation, had they not been 
divinely supported, than for a set of men to per« 

r 2 



198 INTRODUCTION 

suade us that Hugh Latimer, Richard Baxter, or 
John Wesley, performed a thousand miracles, arose 
from the dead, and ascended up into heaven in their 
presence, after having conversed with them for for- 
ty days in a cool and dispassionate manner. 

10. They spake nothing but what Moses and 
the prophets had predicted ; and therefore their 
testimony was in harmony with gradual revelation 
since the creation of the world. 

1 1 . They promised remission of sins, and the 
gift of the Holy Ghost, to all who sincerely believ- 
ed in Christ ; and if the multitude of those w 7 ho did 
believe had not experienced those heavenly com- 
forts, they would, most assuredly, have let Chris- 
tianity sink as the visionary wonder of the age. 

12. Jesus, while alive, would not suffer the de- 
mons to confess him, nor the wicked to see him af- 
ter his resurrection ; therefore, if any doubts were 
entertained, the apostles appealed to the miracles- 
wrought in his name, and to the gift of tongues, 
which was a sign to the unbelievers. " He bath 
shed forth that which ye now see and hear.' — 
That heart must indeed be depraved, which asks 
clearer proof of the truth of Christianity, and of 
the inspiration of the holy apostles. 

VII. The evidence on this subject, which ranks, 
in point of importance, next to that of the apostles, 
is the success of the gospel among the Jews. — 
There could not be less than ten or twenty thou- 
sand people converted in Jerusalem, and a propor- 
tionable number in all the other Jewish cities. — 
These had all imbibed the prejudices of their coun- 
try in favour of a temporal Messiah to reign in 
Jerusalem ; and these prejudices could not be re- 
moved without conviction. But they had all seen 
Christ, and most of them had honoured him as 
one of the ancient prophets revived from the 
dead. Many of them were the relatives or inti- 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 199 

mate friends of those who had seen the Lord after 
his resurrection. They were connected with them 
in religious society; and some of them lived to the 
close of the first century. They had the fullest 
and fairest opportunity of conversing with them 
concerning the miracles, the resurrection, and as- 
cension of Christ ; and both their interest and their 
duty would induce them to examine these things to 
the bottom. They were themselves witnesses to 
the extraordinary endowments of the Holy Spirit, 
and of the miracles performed by the apostles. — 
The longer they lived, the more they were confirm- 
ed in the faith of Christ ; and many of them for- 
sook their country, and laid down their lives for 
the honour of his name. 

Hence we have all the evidence which the sub- 
ject can give. Human testimony can be no strong- 
er, and reasonable men are ashamed to ask for more. 
We could not all live in that age, and reach our 
hand with Thomas to feel the pierced side of Christ. 
The Lord, after having indulged him in this extra- 
ordinary request, said, " Thomas, because thou 
hast seen thou hast believed ; blessed is he who 
hath not seen and yet hath believed." This im- 
plies, at least, that those who believe on the faith- 
ful testimony of the church shall be favoured with 
an inward assurance, which the incredulity of 
Thomas did not entitle him to claim. This kind 
of evidence was but temporary ; it could not be 
continued, because it was not meet for the Messiah 
to remain in this poor sinful world. The truth of 
Christianity is demonstrated without it. The wit- 
nesses who saw him are competent in every view; 
and they have given us the clearest evidence that 
man can give to man. 

Hence it follows, that men invested with so high 
i commission, and opening it by evidence so posi- 



200 INTRODUCTION 

live, so extensive, and divine, had a right to de- 
mand the assent of the nations. And after a full 
exposure of the truth and reasonableness of the 
Christian religion, it was their duty to add, "he 
that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth 
not shall be damned. If any man love not the 
Lord Jesus, let him be anathema maranatha." 

VIII. The next grand test of the inspiration of 
the holy scriptures is, the striking and incontrover- 
tible accomplishment of a thousand types and pre- 
dictions. These prophesies have respected events 
in every age of the world, and a sight of their ac- 
complishment has been a continual support to the 
faith and patience of the saints. They have attest- 
ed the truth and faithfulness of God, and have been, 
encouraged to trust in his word. 

The earth, according to the promise made to 
Noah, has not been destroyed a second time by a 
deluge of water, Gen. viii. 21. Imperial Babylon 
has been sw T ept with a besom of destruction, Isa. 
xiii. 14. Proud Nineveh is a heap of ruins, Nah. 
i. ii. iii Opulent Tyre has been demolished, and 
covered with the nets of fishermen, Ezek. xxvi. 4,5. 
And ancient Egypt has been stripped of her glory, 
and made the basest of all the polished nations, 
Ezek. xxix. 

Respecting the Jews, it was foretold that the scep- 
tre should depart from Judea on the coming of the 
Messiah, Gen. xlix. 8, 9, 1 0. Many of their proph- 
ets, as we have already illustrated, foretold that they 
would harden their hearts against the gospel, and 
reject the Messiah. The destruction of Jerusalem 
was foretold by Daniel, ix. 26. by Christ, Matt. xxiv. 
and by St. Paul, Heb. x. 25. Moses said, that 
Jsraei should be scattered among all people, from 
one end of the earth, even unto the other, Deut. 
xxviii. 64. Hosea, that they should abide many 
days without a king, and without a prince, and with- 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 201 

©ut a sacrifice, ar.d without an image (or cheru- 
bim) and without, an ephod, and without a tera- 
phim : afterwards, that the children oflsrael should 
return and seek the Lord their God, and David 
(the Messiah) their king, and should fear the Lord 
and his goodness in the latter days, Hos. iii. 4, 5. 
Our Lord also said, that the Jews should be led 
away captive to all nations, Luke xxi. 24. Re- 
specting the gospel church, he said, that his disci- 
ples should increase as a grain of mustard-seed; 
that the gates of hell should not prevail against 
them 5 and that the gospel should be preached 
among all nations. The apostacy of the church, 
and the rise, marks, duration, and fall of the anti- 
christian empire, have all been fully and correctly 
pointed out by a succession of the sacred writers, 
Dan. vii. 25. Matt. xxiv. ]5. 2 Thes. ii. 1 Tim. 
iv. 1, 2, 3. Rev. xiii. 11. 

What an astonishing group of events is here 
wrapped up in the scroll of prophecy ! Men, cities 
and nations pointed out by names, as the objects 
of divine compassion or vengeance, and the cir- 
cumstances detailed many ages before, with a pre- 
cision that equals the most correct history. These 
occurrences are infinitely too numerous and ex- 
tensive to have been conjectured by human fore- 
sight. Providence is so profound in wisdom, and 
extensive in economy, as to baffle all speculation 
of this nature. Surely, then, the sacred writers 
could not have known them but by the inspiration 
of Him before whom futurity is without a covering, 
who calls the things that are not as though they 
were, and doeth whatsoever he will in the armies 
of heaven, and among the nations of men. Besides, 
the evidence we receive from prophecy is of a na- 
ture, that increases in proportion as providence 
accomplishes the prediction. It is, therefore, much 
stronger to us than to the ancient Christians. We 



202 INTRODUCTION 

dwell as on a high mountain, which commands a 
prospect of the fulfilment of God's faithful promi- 
ses, and which assures us, that all the remaining 
promises respecting our salvation, and the latter 
day's glory of the church, shall be accomplished 
with an equal fidelity. 

It should be here observed, that the arguments 
arising from prophecy in favour of Christianity, ap- 
pear to much greater advantage to those who have 
leisure and learning to examine the antiquity of the 
scriptures, the distinguished manner in which they 
have been preserved, and to compare the accom- 
plishment of these predictions with historic facts, 
than they can appear to young people, whose views 
are more confined. This being a subject of great 
importance, the following arguments on the authen- 
ticity of the Old and New Testament, should be 
well considered, and committed to memory. 

IX. The Hebrew copy of the Jewish scriptures, 
now in use, was unquestionably extant in Ezra's 
time ; and without any alterations except the erra- 
ta of transcribers. And those of the learned Rab- 
bins, who have endeavoured to restore the readings 
by collating manuscripts from different synagogues, 
affirmed that they found no reading which affected 
either the doctrine or authenticity of any one book. 
And it was as much impossible for Ezra to alter 
the Jewish scriptures, as for any man to alter ours, 
because the Jews were dispersed to many coun- 
tries besides Babylon. This is farther proved from 
the Targums or translations which were begun in 
his time, from the testimony of all the sects among 
the Jews, and from the Samaritan copy ; for this 
nation had the sacred writings, and they rivalled 
the Jews in every religious concern. We are fur- 
ther informed by Josephus, that the five books of 
Moses were translated into the Greek language, un- 
der the patronage of Ptolomy Soter, King of Egypt. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 203 

Some say that the whole of the Jewish scriptures 
were then translated by seventy-two Jews. Be 
that as it may, the sacred writings were unques- 
tionably extant in the Greek tongue, in the reign 
of Antiochus Epiphanes, which was above one hun- 
dred and eighty years before the death of Christ. 
This precludes all possibility of the Christians hav- 
ing either forged or altered the prophesies, to es- 
tablish the credit of their religion. 

I hope it will equally appear, that the books of 
the New Testament are genuine, and written by 
the persons whose names they bear. This subject 
has been ably discussed by Dr. Nathaniel Lardner, 
Dr. George Benson, Dr. Philip Doddridge, and 
many other excellent defenders of the Christian 
faith, to whom I am indebted for most of the follow- 
ing observations. 

1. The books of the New Testament appear to 
he genuine, because they contain nothing unsuita- 
ble to the age in which they are said to have been 
written ; and the writers discover a knowledge of 
their own times superior to what is found in later 
authors. 

2. The volume of the New Testament consists 
of histories and letters, which are ascribed to eight 
several authors ; and from the diversity of style 
and composition, it evidently appears, that not less 
than eight persons were concerned in writing this 
book. There are considerable variations in the 
relation of some facts, and a few of such apparent 
contradictions, as would not have occured, had this 
volume been written by one man, or by eight men 
in concert. Here are recited, the titles and offices 
of great men, and the characters of the rich and 
the poor are frequently delineated. Here is a his- 
tory of occurrences in various nations and cities, 
and allusions to a variety of customs and opinions. 
Every one must be aware how difficult it is for a 



1204 INTRODUCTION 

man, however learned, to write a book in the char- 
acter of authors of an earlier age, and not betray 
himself in some narae ; custom, or occurrence, or by 
some expression not then in use. It must, there- 
fore, be next to an impossibility for any class of men 
to write so large and extensive a volume as the 
New Testament, and keep themselves perfectly free 
from these mistakes. 

3, It is further evident, that the Christian scrip- 
tures .are authentic, because many of the facts re- 
lated by the evangelists, are related also by pa- 
gan authors. The taxing of the empire by Augus- 
tus Caesar is mentioned by Tacitus, Dion, and Sue- 
tonius. The great light or star, which directed the 
wise men to Christ, is mentioned by Chalcidius. 
The slaughter of the infants at Bethlehem, by Her- 
od is mentioned by Macrobius. That our Saviour 
foretold many things which were accomplished, is 
attested by Phlegon, in his annals, as the learned 
Origen assures us. The darkness which happen- 
ed at his death, is also attested by the same author. 
The great number of Christians in all the provin- 
ces, and the rites and usages of the primitive 
church, are confirmed by Pliny. Many other tes- 
timonies of this nature, might, doubtless, have been 
adduced, had not many of the pagan authors of the 
first century been entirely lost. But the Christians 
being for a long time regarded as a Jewish sect, 
we cannot expect much concerning them from the 
heathens. 

4. The Christian scriptures are comprised in 
twenty-seven books, and twenty of these were re- 
ceived in all the churches without a doubt. But 
the epistle to the Hebrews, the epistle of St. James, 
the second epistle of St. Peter, the third epistle of 
St. John, the epistle of St. Jude, and the book of 
Revelation, were, for a time, doubled by some of 
-the churches. However, on being found to be the 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 20i> 

genuine productions of the apostles, they were re- 
ceived also into the code of sacred scriptures, If 
these seven books had been found, upon examina- 
tion, spurious, there would have been sufficient evi- 
dence from the other twenty, to prove that Christ 
was the very prophet, whom the nations were com- 
manded to obey. The reception of these books, 
after their authenticity had been investigated, is 
proof to us, that the primitive Christians would re- 
ceive no writings as apostolic without examination, 
and sufficient evidence. 

5. Had the writings of the New Testament been 
false, they might easily have been confuted ; yet 
we do not find, that any person ever attempted to 
refute the facts related by the apostles. Had there 
ever existed any counter histories, we should cerr 
tainly have heard of them by some of the early op- 
posers of Christianity. But Celsus, Porphyry, Ju- 
lian, the Jewish Talmud, and others, never so much 
as call in question, the authenticity of these books. 
Indeed, they have acknowledged many of the facts 
related by the evangelists, and even allowed that 
Jesus performed miracles ! 

6. In what year, and by what church or council 
the several writings of the New Testament were first 
collected, and published in their present form, we 
are not informed. But as the apostles wrote the 
substance of their ministry by revelation, and com- 
manded their epistles to be read, we may presume, 
that the churches to whom they were addressed, 
would give them a speedy circulation. The Chris- 
tian revelation being closed by the apocalypse of 
St. John, we may presume, that they were then first 
collected in Asia. That they were collected early, 
is evident from Justin Martyr, who wrote about 
the year 150. He quotes and refers to them as re- 
cords publicly known; and all the fathers of the sc J 
cond century do the same. 

s 



206 INTRODUCTION 

7. The books of the New Testament were writ- 
ten in Greek, which was then the travelling language. 
They were dispersed over all the empire, and read 
by the enemies of Christianity ; and they would 
surely have made an attack upon their authenticity, 
had there existed the smallest ground of suspicion, 
or had there been any defect of living witnesses to 
attest the genuine nature Of these productions. The 
original copies of these sacred books, were for a 
long time preserved, which superseded cavils of this 
nature. " You," says Tertullian, a who are desi- 
rous to employ your leisure in the more useful af- 
fairs of your salvation, go and visit the apostolic 
churches, in which their own authentic letters, are 
carefully preserved, and piiblicly read/'* 

8. There are a few passages in these writings, 
which have not been quoted by Greek and Latin au- 
thors now extant ; copies were taken without num- 
ber ; and translations were made into various lan- 
guages ; yet when these copies and translations 
were collected from various libraries in Europe, 
Asia, and Africa, and collated with the most minute 
and critical care, they were allowed by all capable 
judges, notwithstanding their various readings, to be 
defective in no point of Christian doctrine or mo- 
rality. 

9. We may also add, that the ancient Christians 
were soon divided into sects ; and these, as well as 
[he modern denominations of Christians, have gen- 
erally appealed to these books, as the standard of 
their faith and worship, and as the grand charter of 
their religion. They have likewise kept a jealous 
eye upon one another, lest any party should make 
the smallest alteration in favour of their peculiar 
opinions. We here adore the wise and gracious 
providence of God, which has over-ruled the weak- 
ness of mankind, and has made it conducive to the 

* lab. dc Praescripf. 



TO CHRISTIANITY, 207 

preservation of books, which contain the best doc- 
trines, enforce tlfe" purest morals, and were evident- 
ly composed with the most benevolent designs. 

10. It should especially be remarked, that if the 
occurrences related in these scriptures, had not been 
matters of fact, they would not have been credited 
by persons who lived near the time, and in the cities 
in which they are said to have been done. On the 
contrary, they would have been treated as the most 
notorious lies and legends. Suppose that a few 
books should now appear among us, relating a num- 
ber of facts which occurred about sixty years ago, 
and a number more which occurred but twenty or 
thirty years ago : suppose further, that they should 
comfort and support societies of religious people, 
now suffering very severe persecution from the King 
and the magistrates, (and it is confessed by Pagan 
as well as Christian historians, that Nero then per- 
secuted the Christians :) would they not be treated 
as the most hypocritical forgeries which ever were 
published ? would great numbers of people in these 
very places, change their religion, and suffer perse- 
cution, on the credit of books recording public facts 
which had never been heard of? we may rather ask, 
would any sober-minded or extravagant description 
of men ever conceive a design so shameful and ab- 
surd ? 

We may therefore reasonably conclude, that the 
gospels and epistles were really written before the 
destruction of Jerusalem, and consequently, that they 
were written by divine inspiration. Now, if all this 
variety of evidence, which is sometimes presump- 
tive and reasonable, and sometimes clear, positive, 
and strong, do not prove the divine mission of our 
Lord and Saviour, and the truth of our religion, then 
nothing is capable of demonstration. If any man 
say after this, that Christianity is founded on " un- 
certain hear-say," and destitute of evidence, let him 



203 INTRODUCTION 

bring forward ancient and authentic histories which 
contradict those facts. If this neither has, nor can 
be done, in what light can sceptical writings be view- 
ed, but as inimical to truth and righteousness. 

X. We shall close this section by a few testimo- 
nies from the primitive fathers, concerning the in- 
spiration of the holy scriptures. It is highly proper 
to pay a due regard to their sentiments en this sub- 
ject, because as some of them lived in, and all of 
them near the age in which they were written, they 
were the best qualified to appreciate their excel- 
lence and merit. 

1. Clemens Romanus says, " that the apostles 
preached the gospel, being filled with the Holy 
Ghost ; that the scriptures are the genuine word of 
the Spirit; and that St. Paul wrote to. the Corinth- 
ians, things which were true, by the aid of the Spir- 
it.' 1 

2. Polycarp tells the Philippians, " that no man 
could attain to the wisdom by which Paul had writ- 
ten their epistle." 

3. Justin Martyr says, " that the gospels were 
written by men full of the Holy Ghost ; and that the 
sacred writers had spoken by inspiration." 

4. Irenseus says, u that all the apostles, as well as 
Paul, received the gospel by divine revelation ; and 
that by the will of God, they delivered it to us, as 
the foundation and pillar of faith ; that the scriptures 
were all dictated by the Spirit of God ; and con- 
sequently, that it is wickedness to speak against 
them, and sacrilege to make in them the smallest al- 
teration." 

5. Clemens Alexandrinus says, " that those who 
have the scriptures are taught of God ; that these 
writings are established by the authority of Gcd ; 
and that they are all divine books." 

6. Origen is very expressive on this subject. He 
says," that the scriptures are the effusions of the 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 209 

Holy Spirit ; that their is not one iota in them but 
expresses a divine wisdom ; that there is nothing 
either in the law, the prophets, the gospels, or the 
epistles, which did not proceed from the fulness of 
the Spirit ; that we ought to acknowledge with all 
the faithful, that the scriptures are divinely inspired 
and received in all the churches as no other than the 
organs of God." 

7. Tertullian testifies, " that the scriptures are the 
basis of faith ; that all Christians prove their doc- 
trines out the Old and New Testament ; and that 
the majesty of God suggested what Paul has writ- 
ten." 

8. An ancient writer, quoted by Eusebius, says, 
" that they who corrupt the scriptures, abolish the 
ancient standard of faith, and neglect the words of 
divine composition, through a fondness for the pro- 
ductions of human reason." 

9. Theophilus Antiochenus says, " that the evan- 
gelists and apostles, wrote by the same Spirit which 
inspired the prophets." 

O most merciful and gracious God, open our eyes, 
we beseech thee, to behold wonderful things out of 
thy law ! May we ever read thy sacred word as 
though thou wcrt present before our eyes, and speak- 
ing to us by the ministry of thy highly favoured and 
anointed servants! May thy word inspire us with 
wisdom and comfort, and be sweeter to us than our 
necessary food. And while we are walking in this 
dark world, may it be as a lantern to our feet, and a 
lamp unto our path : for wherewith shall a young 
man cleanse his way, but by taking heed to thy 
commandments ? Assist us likewise, by the illumi- 
nation of thy Holy Spirit, fully to comprehend, and 
ever to remember these abundant evidences of the 
truth of our most holy faith, that they may preserve 
us in the hour of temptation, and support us in the 
day of affliction. To this end, do thou manifest 
s 2 



210 INTRODUCTION 

thyself unto us, as thou dost not unto the world, that 
knowing on whom we have believed, we may be 
confident of thy ability to keep the soul we have 
committed to thy care, unto the appearing of our 
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. 



SECTION XII. 

THE DOCTRINE OF THE SPIRIT LAID DOWN AS THE ULTIMATE 
TEST OF THE TRUTH AND POWER OF CHRISTIANITY. 

Misisse vicariam vim Spiritfis Saacti, qui credeates agat. 

Christ hath sent in his place the virtue of the Holy Spirit^ which 
actuates believers. Tertul. de Prjescrip. 

We have now taken a general view of the inter- 
nal and external evidences of Christianity, and of the 
inspiration of the sacred writers. They are clear 
and conclusive, and, on many occasions, much 
stronger than could have been expected. But we 
may know and believe ail these without being either 
reformed or converted. Besides, a perfect ac- 
quaintance with them requires abundance of leisure 
and learning. This the world at large cannot have, 
although they are equally concerned ; we want, 
therefore, an universal evidence, which is equally 
plain to the learned and unlearned, and assures us 
of the godhead of Christ by revealing his divine 
power to the heart. This we have, blessed be God, 
in the gifts and comforts of the Holy Ghost. 

u When the comforter is come," says Jesus, 
" whom I will send unto you from the Father, even 
the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Fa- 
ther, he shall testify of me. He shall guide you 
into all the truth. He shall teach you all things, 
arid shall brin^ all things to your remembrance 
whatsoever I have said unto you. At that day ye 
♦.ball know that 1 am in the Father, and ve in me, 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 1 12 

and I in you." Saint Paul expresses himself to the 
same purpose : " no man can call Jesus Lord, but 
by the Holy Ghost. God hath sent forth the spir- 
it of his Son into our hearts, crying Abba, Father. 
The Spirit itself beareth witness to our spirit that 
we are the children of God. Our gospel came not 
unto you in word only, but in power, in the Holy 
Ghost, and in much assurance." So says Saint 
John : " if we receive the witness of men, the wit- 
ness of God is greater ; for this is the witness of 
God which he hath testified of his Son. He that 
believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in 
himself. He that believeth not God hath made 
him a liar, because he believeth not the record that 
God gave of his Son. And this is the record that 
God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in 
his Son. He that hath the Son hath life, and he 
that hath not the Son hath not life." 

In other places of scripture, the Holy Spirit is 
said to baptize us with fire — to shed abroad the 
love of God in our hearts — to be in us a well of 
water springing up to everlasting life — to be a 
Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of 
God — a Spirit of grace and supplication in our de- 
votion to strengthen us with might in the inner man, 
to abide with us for ever, and to seal us to the day 
of redemption. These are distinct and appropriate 
characters ; and in these have the saints of all ages 
and nations received him. And though they may 
have differed a little in their mode of expression, yet 
the prominent features of the experience are pre- 
cisely the same. 

Having promises so numerous and explicit, so 
consolatory and inviting, what can be more reason- 
able than for the sincere inquirers after truth to 
oomc and ask of God the approving test ? " Ask," 
-ays Jesus, " and ye shall receive. If ye, being 



( 2\'2 INTRODUCTION 

evil know how to give good things unto your 
children, how much more shall your Father which 
is in heaven give good things," or his Holy Spirit, 
" to them that ask him ?" Could we desire a reli- 
gion to be more open, a test better defined, or more 
efficacious in regenerating the human heart ? 

It must here be added, by way of caution, that the 
witness of the Spirit is not intended to supersede 
the internal and external evidences of the truth of 
Christianity ; nor to distinguish in the scriptures, 
when various readings occur, which is pure, and 
which is corrupt : we may be saved without per- 
fection in this kind of knowledge ; but when the 
great truths of religion are laid before us, it is in- 
tended to apply them with divine power to the 
heart. Now, when we pray in the name of Christ, 
and receive a sense of pardon and comfort, it really 
proves that he is our propitiation, and that he is 
glorified with the Father. If otherwise, it proves 
that the Father bears witness to a lie, or deceives 
us in the tenderest concerns of our salvation. I 
am perfectly aware that God does daily comfort his 
children under many harmless errors and mistakes; 
but to suppose that he can comfort us while wor- 
shipping Jesus, a mere man, is to suppose that God 
can give his glory to a creature. This is impossi- 
ble : the God of holiness cannot change — the God of 
truth cannot lie. He can no more smile on a gross 
act of idolatry than he can smile on a gross act of 
adultery ; we, therefore, conclude with St. Paul, 
That our trust in Christ is well placed, because 
God hath given us the first fruits of the Spirit, which 
is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemp- 
tion of the purchased possession. Si. Peter proved, 
likewise, his ascension and godhead from the gifts 
of the Holy Ghost. "He hath shed forth that 
which ye now see and hear." 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 213 

Every one who is desirous to investigate this 
grand test of the truth of Christianity, should be 
further apprized, that a sincere and devout mind is 
indispensibiy required. If a man be not seeking 
virtue as well as truth, he is destitute of the grand 
qualification on which his success depends. No 
man can judge of doctrines which have holiness for 
their object, unless he be seeking purity of heart. 
So the scriptures every where inculcate ; and he 
who sincerely seeks is sure to succeed. "The 
meek will he guide in judgment, the meek will he 
teach his way. They shall all." says Jesus, " be 
taught of God. Every man, therefore, that hath 
heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh un- 
to me. If any man will do his will he shall know 
of my doctrine whether it be of God, or whether 
I speak of myself," Psalm xxv. 3. John vii. 17. 

An admired French writer expresses himself to 
the same effect. He exhorts the inquirer after sa- 
cred truth to imitate the Cyrils, the Basils, the Au- 
gustines, the Leons, exalted geniuses of antiquity, 
whose minds were elevated above the prejudices of 
their age." " Like them," says he, " commence 
your researches by seeking virtue, whose divine 
llame alone can point you out the path of truth, ex- 
tinguish ignoble passions, recede from fatal connex- 
ions, become docile, simple, chaste, modest, and 
approach with humility the sanctuary, which is the 
repose of truth." A few lines after he adds, "God 
penetrates and charms my heart with the radiance 
of his glory ! I see — I hear — 1 believe : my reason 
hearkens to the supreme Oracle, and to him alone." 
Whether Rousseau really believed what he here 
wrote, or whether the reading of Racine's beauti- 
ful poem Sur la Religion, had made a momentary 
impression on his heart, is not my business to de- 
termine : I am concerned only with the advice, 
which is perfectly agreeable to the scriptures, a mi 



214 INTRODUCTION 

indispensibly requisite for the successful investiga ' 
tion of sacred truth. 

Should this sketch of the reasonableness of Chris- 
tianity fall into the hands of those who are earnest- 
ly desirous to find the truth, and resolved to put re- 
ligion to the, test, by devoutly pleading its promi- 
ses at the throne of grace, I should indeed count it 
one of the richest favours of heaven to render them 
some further aid in the affairs of their salvation. — 
With a view to this, I beg leave, as one that hath 
obtained mercy, to address them on the great im- 
portance of a change of heart, and a religious life. 

My dear friends, and fellow-partakers of our 
Creator's bounty, open your bosom to conviction, 
and be not unwilling to know the worst of your 
moral depravity. Take an impartial and delibe- 
rate view of all those sins which lie heaviest on 
your conscience, and make you afraid to die. — 
Examine closely their attrocity, and all the aggra- 
vating circumstances which attended them ; and in 
doing this, you will find them connected with a mul- 
titude of other sins, although of inferior magnitude. 
" Who can understand his errors, or count the num- 
ber of his faults ?" 

You will then be led to consider the critical and 
awful situation to which you are reduced. The 
holy law has made manifest your sin, and the right- 
eous God has pronounced you guilty. His mercy 
suspends you over hell, while his justice is impor- 
tunate to cut the thread, and then you fall into your 
own place. In a situation so truly alarming, let not 
the vain pursuits of life soothe you into a fatal slum- 
ber. It is the extreme of folly to despise the jus- 
tice of omnipotence, and of impiety to abuse his 
mercy. 

Consider how the Lord Jesus hath wept, and bled, 
and died, to put away your sin ; and how earnestly 
he intercedes for you in heaven ! Consider his long- 



T6i CHRISTIANITY. 2lJ 

suffering and kindness, the means he employs to ef- 
fectuate your conversion, and all the riches of his 
grace, which are presented to you in the gospel. — 
He slmws you his bleeding hands and feet, all his 
grief and pain for sin, and then the fountain that 
gushes from his side ! Hear how he expostulates 
with the wicked ; " O Ephraim. Ephraim, my son, 
how shall I give thee up ! My relentings are kindled 
— how shall I seal thy destruction !'' G what a 
look of love he casts on your wreiched soul ! And 
can you crucify him again by despising his mercy, 
and retaining your sins ? Can the pleasures, the 
momentary pleasures of a sensual age, compensate 
for the loss of heaven, and for bringing down on 
yOur guilty heads the \v T rath of a vindictive God ? 

Perhaps Satan and your deceitful heart suggest, 
that you are young, that God is merciful, and that 
you may safely defer your repentance to a later pe- 
riod. Consider again, I entreat, the nature and ten- 
dency of such a thought, before consideration be 
too late. Is not this to ask long life, and all tempo- 
ral happiness of a bounteous God, and then to offer 
him the decrepitude of old age 1 How long, 1 pray, 
would any master bear with a servant who should talk 
and act after this manner ? I fear you are not aware 
of the fallacy of this temptation. If you are unwilling 
to part with your sins, and repent to day, you will be 
more unwilling to-morrow, for your heart will be 
hardened in proportion as you increase in guilt. If 
this warning be unattended with success, what hope 
then can be entertained that any future warning will 
have more effect ? Hence, by rejecting grace to- 
day, you know not but you reject it for ever. It is 
preposterous in the extreme to trifle with sin and 
holiness, with death and eternity. 

Admitting, for a moment, the hazardous suppo- 
sition, that you should repent and find pardon in old 
age, even then your loss would be incalculable ; for 






21G INTRODUCTION 

you would have no time to grow in grace, and to 
glorify God by a life of active or of suffering piety. 
Those who have served the Lord from their youth, 
who have borne reproach and persecution, and 
made a great progress in knowledge and holiness, 
will assuredly be qualified to receive a larger de- 
gree of glory and happiness, than those who are 
plucked as brands from the burning. Personal re- 
wards in glory shall be given in proportion to our 
holiness, our sufferings, and our works. He that 
had gained five talents was made lord over five 
cities, and he that had gained ten talents was made 
lord over ten cities. And shall men who boast of 
reason and knowledge, act a part so very irration- 
al ? Shall they barter the eternal glories and hap- 
piness of heaven, for the momentary pleasures of 
sin? Nor should it be overlooked, that if repent- 
ance be now deferred, you have merely a preca- 
rious hope of ever obtaining it. And if you should 
presume to ask mercy in your affliction, you leave 
Satan a just ground to suggest, that having rejected 
the Lord while young, he will now reject you when 
old ; whereas, if you now repent and turn to God, 
3v-ou have a thousand explicit promises, that he 
will in no wise cast you out. 

Say not as some, that the wicked are happy ; nor 
indulge a wish to imitate their life. When you see 
them cheerful and gay in company, sprightly and 
facetious in their recreations, you see but a partial 
view of their character, when God and futurity are 
absent from the mind. Be assured, they are as far 
from real happiness as yourselves. See them when 
their wishes are frustrated, when their pride is 
mortified, and you hear them blaspheming one an- 
other with a fury like demons ; or see them pursu- 
ing their lusts, to the utter ruin of unprotected inno- 
cence, and say, whether they can be happy who 
make others miserable ? Look at their end, when 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 217 

vice has superinduced disease, and rendered them 
incapable of pleasure. Their families conceal 
them in their chambers, lest the alarming situation of 
their minds should transpire, and lest any one should 
speak to them concerning religion. A wretch 
in this situation is abandoned by all his voluptuous 
companions ; or should a few have the hardness to 
see the termination of a sinful life, it is but to 
increase his wretchedness by false and delusive 
hopes. " Have a good heart," say they ; " keep 
up your spirits, you will soon recover." And 
when they are retired from his chamber, they say, 
"alas! poor man, he is not long for this world! 1 ' 
If this man take a view of the gay and pleasurable 
scenes he once enjoyed, they do but increase his 
misery, for he cannot enjoy them now; and if he 
look forward to futurity the very thought is insup- 
portable. He sinks between these precipices, like 
a man in an earthquake, and the rocks falling on 
both sides, complete his destruction. From this 
inundation of vice and misery there is no retreat, 
but to the ark of Jesus Christ ; for all shall perish 
who are not encircled with his arms. 

Be not discouraged, nor say, as many do, that you 
cannot resist the force of temptation, and refrain 
from sin, for that were to charge your folly upon 
your Maker. Honour and politeness do, on a thou- 
sand occasions, restrain men from sin, which proves 
that God hath not forsaken them, and that by 
watchfulness and prayer they might refrain on all 
occasions. That the human depravity might be 
no excuse for sin, the Lord Jesus has restored the 
freedom of the will, and exalted fallen man again 
by the grace of the new covenant, to a state of pro- 
bation. His Spirit strives with man, and convinces 
him of sin. One, two, or five talents are delivered 
to all his servants ; and the gospel is sent to every 
creature. The grace of God, that bringeth salva- 



218 INTRODUCTION 

tion to all men, hath appeared, teaching us that de- 
nying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should 
live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present 
world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glori- 
ous appearance of the great God and our Saviour 
Jesus Christ. If our nature incline us to sensuality, 
anger, and pride, the motions of his grace incline 
us to meekness, purity, and love. If the example 
of bad men prompts us to vice, the example of good 
men prompts us to virtue. If evil angels tempt and 
seduce us to sin, good angels are ever ready to warn 
us, and retrieve us from it. Were it not in consid* 
eration of this moral liberty, it would be absurd to 
call the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the dead 
to awake. And, that this grace is given in sufficient 
proportion for the restoration of holiness, is manifest 
from universal experience. Jews, Heathens, and 
Christians, have served God in the most perilous 
times and profligate courts : hence, if we do perish, 
our ruin is not to be attributed to any imaginary de- 
crees, to the fall of Adam, or the force of tempta- 
tion ; it is because we reject the council of God 
against ourselves. Free-will, through grace, and 
universal redemption, are taught by common con- 
sent among the fathers. They know nothing of 
fate and necessity, or of absolute predestination, 
doctrines which chill the soul of active virtue, and 
are shameful libels on the moral and gracious econ- 
omy of providence. 

The human nature being so far ennobled, as to 
be raised again to a state of probation, and infini- 
ty of happiness or misery have their centre in eve- 
ry man's bosom; and he is now called upon to 
make his choice, whether he will have Christ and 
his cross here, and glory hereafter; or whether he 
will remain the dupe of sin and delusive happiness, 
till he falls under the weight of folly and vice, and 
under the frowns of Almighty God. To hesitate is 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 21 J 

a crime, and finally to reject the gospel is the con- 
summation of guilt. .If these truths have met your 
thoughts, and moved your heart ; if they have re- 
vived or added to your former good impressions^ 
beware of losing them as heretofore. 

Let the tear flow ; let the heart relieve itself in 
the sweetness of contrition, and by earnest suppli- 
cation to God. Retire to your closet, and there, on 
your bended knees, enter into covenant with your 
Maker. Yes, by a noble effort of the soul, which 
angels shall admire, and heaven applaud, resolve at 
once to disengage yourself from all the ensnare- 
ments of vice, and to dedicate all your future life to 
God, according to the doctrine and example of 
his Son Jesus Christ. 

Some who are disposed to a holy life suffer much 
perplexity for want of proper ideas concerning the: 
nature ana necessity ot the ntw airing winch is the 
gate of life, and the only way to the kingdom. Ma- 
ny, in reading the scriptures, in a manner overlook 
it; and propose, by abstaining from sin, and living 
righteously, to obtain the divine favour. This is de- 
pending on our own good endeavours for justifica- 
tion ; or at least, it is associating them with the merits 
of Christ, which is highly improper. All that a sin- 
ner can do, is to use the grace he has received of the 
Lord ; for who can bring a clean thing out of an 
unclean ! or how can the defiled prepare" themselves 
for the bosom of the Just and Holy One ? We must 
therefore receive the Holy Spirit, to be in us a prin- 
ciple of regeneration, that we may be made parta- 
kers of the divine nature, and renewed after the im- 
age of Christ in righteousness and true holiness — 
By grace we are saved through faith ; and that not 
of ourselves, it is of God : not of works, lest any 
man should boast. Thus, except a man be born of 
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 

Come, then, with a humiliating sense of your sin- 
fulness and misery, and of a total inability to help 



220 INTRODUCTION 

yourself. Take a view of the Lord Jesus Christ as 
willing and able to save you to the uttermost, and 
cast your soul on his merits in some such words as 
these : for " the point of importance is, the inward 
disposition of the mind ; where the dependence 
for pardon and holiness is really placed ; not what 
the language is in which men express themselves."* 

[An act of faiths or confidential prayer,] 

O most gracious, adorable, and glorious Redeem- 
er! thy poor fallen creature, unable to hold out any 
longer against thy truth and grace, presumes to come 
and prostrate at thy door ! Have compassion upon 
me according to the bowels of thy mercy, and abun- 
dant loving kindness. I have siuned against heaven, 
and in thy sight ! sinned times without number 
against thy light and love, and have no refuge but 
thine open arms. If thou cast me off, T am lost and 
undone for ever ! If thou hide thy face, darkness is 
my dwelling, and anguish my abode. But, O most 
compassionate High Priest ! who art touched with 
the feeling of all my infirmities, remember, I be- 
seech thee, all thy grief and pain, and anguish 
and death for me; and all thy train of mercies to- 
wards a sinner long sought, and long pursued. Em- 
boldened by these, I come and fall at thy feet. Look 
on thine agony, and give me peace ; on thy sorrows, 
and wipe away my tears ; on thy wounds, and heal 
my broken heart. Let not Satan exult in taking the 
prey from the hand of the mighty ; nor let the cor- 
ruption of my nature be stronger than the power of 
thy grace. O Lord, in defiance of my unbelief, I 
acknowledge thy willingness to save a sinful worm. 
The shedding of thy blood demonstrates thy willing- 
ness to wash away my sins ; the laying down of thy 
life, convinces me how willing thou art I should live ; 
and the extending of thy arms, proves thy readiness 

* Wilberforce's Practical View, &c. 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 221 

to receive me to the bosom of thy everlasting lo\c. 
Thy promises and invitations are for the weary and 
heavy laden, for the poor and wretched, for the halt 
and the blind. They all identify my state, and en- 
sure to me the blessing. O most compassionate 
High Priest! I here come in thine own appointed 
way : I come guilty to receive a pardon; miserable, 
to obtain mercy; and wretched, to be made happy. 
I come a poor captive to be liberated; helpless and 
empty, to be filled with thy power and grace ; and 
loaded with sin, to embrace thy justifying favour. 
Here I fall at thy feet, and would prostrate with 
greater humility ; I would grieve with a deeper 
compunction ; but let the cloud of thy merits cover 
mine infirmities, and the delays of justice yield to 
the entreaties of thy mercy. Hide thy face from my 
sins, and blot out all my transgressions ; and for 
the glory of thy great name, " let it be unto me ac- 
cording to thy word." 

While the secrets of your heart are disclosed iti 
this manner, at the throne of grace, it will not — it 
cannot be long before your soul is brought into lib- 
erty. The Father of mercies cannot behold your 
distress from the highest heavens, and forget his 
compassion. The Saviour cannot see your sorrows, 
and hear your groans, and forget his agony in the 
garden, and all his sufferings on the cross. He sus- 
pends the blessing only till your heart is prepared 
to receive it: and whenever that is the case, the 
love of God shall be shed abroad in your heart by 
the Holy Ghost. Then you are born of God, and 
made a partaker of that holiness, without which no 
man shall see the Lord. 

But should the blessing be delayed, let not your 
hopes fail. Wait for it in the frame already descri- 
bed ; wait with earnest expectation, and with a 
grateful patience, that our state is not worse ; and 
as the sun breaks fohh On a dark and cloudy dav, 
t 2 



222 INTRODUCTION 

so will the Lord surprise you with a visit of his love, 
and lift upon you the light of his countenance. Or 
should you be weak in faith, and favoured only with 
the drawings of the Spirit, and with intervals of lucid 
hope ; or at most, with no more than the momentary 
glows of God's love ; be not dispirited, for you may 
yet attain to the measure of the fulness of Christ, 
You are not to hide the one talent because you have 
not five. The greatest saints had once a weak be- 
ginning. Let the closet share in the duties of the 
day ; search the scriptures ; read the experience 
of eminent Christians ; exercise yourself in hymns 
and spiritual songs, and your faith and love will 
abundantly increase. 

This peculiar sensation of the divine favour be- 
ing a prominent feature in Christian experience, 
and an indispensible qualification for heaven, it 
must not be passed over without a proper train of 
reflections. It is wholly owing to men's ignorance 
of this subject, that the state of the nominal and 
genuine Christian are so frequently confounded. 

In discussing the doctrine of the Spirit, I am 
aware of treading the ground, and moving in a 
sphere, where many think that nothing but fanati- 
cism occurs. They contend for a rational religion, 
and seem to dread enthusiasm as the last of evils. 
But, with me, it is a decided point, that we cannot 
be made partakers of the divine nature without a 
divine influence : and the Holy Spirit acting on our 
mind and senses, we may be as conscious of the di- 
vine as of human operations. For example, Des 
Cartes began his system of philosophy with this 
axiom ; Ego cogo, ergo sum. I think, therefore I 
am. Conscious of thought, he was conscious of ex- 
istence. Just so we know that we have an under- 
standing by our understanding : and we know that 
there is a sun by the light of the sun. Just so, 
"St. Paul knew the things of God by the spirit of 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 223 

God, 1 Cor. ii. 12. The philosopher and the apos- 
tle lay down similar propositions, and draw similar 
conclusions. The force of argument is equally 
clear in both ; for the works of grace never recede 
from the profoundest scrutiny of the human mind. 
Let us trace its characteristics. 

1 . This comfort is not a mere warmth of the pas- 
sions and affections, or a momentary transport of 
natural joy. If so, it would ebb and flow with the tide 
of our pleasing and painful occurrences ; and it is 
so far from doing this, that God often visits us with a 
manifestation of his love when the mind is not par- 
ticularly engaged with any object. This is a good 
argument for concluding, that this comfort is no re- 
flex act, but altogether divine. So it is consider- 
ed by a poet, whom the irreligious world have not 
presumed to charge with enthusiasm. 

" What nothing earthly gives or can destroy. 
The soul's calm sun-shine, and the heart-felt joy." 

pope's ethic epistles. 

2. It is preceded by a suitable degree of repent- 
ance and humiliation for sin, and by faith in our 
Lord Jesus Christ. To this there is no excep- 
tion ; the soul must renounce its sin, and implore for- 
giveness, before it can possibly receive this approv- 
ing smile from God, Acts ii. 33, 39. xix. 6. Fasting 
and prayer, humility and self-denial, happily tend to 
prepare the heart for grace ; but an act of faith is 
the most acceptable sacrifice we can present to 
God. 

3. When this comfort is given in a clear and 
powerful manner, it instantly changes our sorrow 
into ioy, and our sighs and complaints into songs 
of salvation. It reverses all our fears and discour- 
agements, occasioned by the evils which we suffer. 
" Though our outward man perish, our inward man 



224 INTRODUCTION 

is renewed day by day. When my heart and my 
flesh faileth, God is the strength of my heart and 
my portion forever." 

4. It has a powerful effect in sanctifying the heart, 
and all its affections. The soul is filled with di- 
vine simplicity and holy love It hates all sin, and 
cannot bear a thought which is contrary to the will 
of God. It delights in loving and serving him with 
all its powers, and accounts no labours too severe, 
if sinners may be converted to him. The regener- 
ate man is now in his right mind, he is clothed with 
humility, and seated at the feet of Christ. 

5. It is given in various degrees. While the 
seeker is engaged in religious exercise, a gracious 
promise of a reviving hope, attended with this di- 
vine comfort for the moment, enkindles his heart. 
This we usually,term the drawings of the Father's 
love. But when the heart is so replenished with 
the love God, that its sensations can scarcely be 
concealed, we term it the direct witness of the Spir- 
it, that we are the children of God by faith in Christ 
Jesus, Rom. viii. 15, 16. 

6. This divine comfort .is mostly transient. — 
Heaven does not seern too profuse of its choicest fa- 
vours. It is proper to remark this, that the young 
convert may not sink into despondency whenever 
it is withdrawn. The causes, however, he should 
diligently examine, that he may avoid them in fu- 
ture, and with humility entreat the Lord to restore 
him to the joy of his salvation. " In my prosper- 
ity I said, my mountain is strong, I shall never be 
moved. Thou didst hide thy face, and I was 
troubled. Lift thou upon me the light of thy coun- 
tenance. Heaviness may endure for a night, but 
joy cometh in the morning." 

7. This comfort is known to none but the regen- 
erate, and it cannot be expressed but by analogy. 
Hence, it is frequently called fire, because it has a 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 2*25 

cheering effect on the soul, in some sort similar to 
the effect of fire on the body, when we return from 
the cold. It refines our dross, and consumes our 
sin. It is called the earnest of our inheritance, and 
the first fruits of the Spirit, because as the earnest 
is really part of the price, and as the first fruits 
are really part of the harvest, so this comfort is a 
genuine foretaste of heaven. In the same manner 
are those scriptures to be understood, which speak 
of it by the analogy of wine and love. 

Now, the natural man, however wise and learn- 
ed, cannot extend his ideas beyond the letter of 
scripture ; but here more is intended than language 
can convey. These inexpressible delights of di- 
vine comfort are carefully marked by the sacred 
writers. The word of God is sweeter than honey 
or the honey-comb : the peace of God passeth all 
understanding : the love of Christ passeth knowl- 
edge : the joy in the Holy Ghost is unspeakable 
and full of glory. If God has been pleased in this 
way, to manifest himself unto us as he does not un- 
to the world, may he ever enable us to hold the mys- 
tery of faith in a pure conscience. 

8. It increases in our hearts till it has consumed 
our sin, and restored us to the image of God. It 
frequently happens that the young convert really 
thinks his warfare is completely past, though but 
just begun. His heart may now, not unaptly, be 
compared to a garden, properly dressed and sown : 
it seems perfectly free from weeds, because they do 
not appear : but in a little time they spring up, and 
if not eradicated soon over-run the ground. So it 
is with the latent evils of the human heart, pride, 
fretfulness and unbelief. If these be not well sub- 
dued, and rooted up on their first appearance, they 
reduce the soul to a wilderness state. To this ef- 
fect we are cautioned in the sacred scriptures. — 
"Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies. If ye 



226 INTRODUCTION 

live after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye, through 
the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye 
shall live. Let grace reign through righteousness, 
and be the power of God unto an endless life." 

The life of God in the soul is inseparably con- 
nected with a progress in faith and holiness. We 
cannot remain at one stay in divine attainments. 
The Christian resembles a boat, which gains on 
the stream by rowing, but when the oars cease it 
is carried back by the flood. Fresh supplies of 
grace must be derived every moment from God, 
the source of all felicity. The backslider can no 
more satisfy his soul with the recollection of past 
experience, than cattle can drink at exhausted 
pools. The river of life must flow through the 
heart with a constant stream, and gladden the hab- 
itation of God. It is the end of divine predestina- 
tion, or the order of God in the kingdom of grace, 
that we should be conformed to the image of his 
Son. "Leaving, therefore, the principles of the 
doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection." 

There was no virtue which the apostles were 
more solicitous their children should acquire, than 
a maturity in Christian holiness. It was the ulti- 
mate object of all their addresses, and lay nearest 
to their heart in devotion. u For this cause," says 
Paul to the Ephesians, " I bow my knee unto the 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; that, he would 
grant you, according to the riches of his glory to be 
strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner 
man, that Christ, may dwell in your hearts by 
faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love, 
may be able to comprehend with all saints what is 
the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and 
to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, 
that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." 
When writing to the Thessalonians he prays for 
the same blessing : " and the very God of peace 



TO CHRISTIANITY". 227 

sanctify you wholly : and I pray God, that your 
whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved 
blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
Faithful is he that hath called you, who also will 
do it. 

9. This farther work of grace is frequently spoken 
of as already attained by many of the established 
believers. Our old man is crucified with Christ. 
Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 
I live not, but Christ liveth in me. The law of the 
Spirit of life, which is in Christ Jesus, hath made me 
free from the law of sin and death. We have 
known and believed the love that God hath unto 
us. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwell- 
eth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love 
made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day 
of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. 
In this last and remarkable passage, St. John 
seems to consider divine love as a fire which con- 
verts every thing into its own substance. This 
cannot imply less than the total destruction of pride, 
anger, selfishness, and fear. " There is no fear in 
love : perfect love casteth out fear : he that feareth 
is not made perfect in love.'" If the roots of sin still 
remain alive in the believer, he cannot be said to 
be dead with Christ, and crucified to the world. 

10. We may further observe, that this advanced 
state of Christian holiness, is attained by faith. — 
Our hearts are purified by conversing with divine 
objects. " All we, beholding, as in a glass, the 
glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image 
from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the 
Lord." By this faith Caleb shamed and confound- 
ed the unbelievers " before Moses, and said, let Us 
go up at once and possess it, for we are well able 
to overcome it." Our trials have also a fine effect 
in purifying the heart : they irritate our latent de- 
pravity, and arc admirably calculated to effectuate 



358 INTRODUCTION 

its entire destruction. St. Peter assures the suffer- 
ing saints, that after a while the Lord would make 
them perfect, settle, strengthen, and establish them, 
1 Pet. v. 10. 

11. It should be likewise observed, that the word 
perfect, which is so frequently used to express this 
farther work of grace, is to be understood in a lim- 
ited sense : it is a perfection in the Christian tem- 
pers and virtues which admits of growth and in- 
crease. Hence, the virtues of holy men are set be- 
fore us, that we may " be followers of them who 
through faith and patience inherit, the promises.' 1 
Moses, most assuredly, was saved from selfishness, 
and perfected in the love of God, when he esteem- 
ed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the 
treasures of Egypt. Job was saved from murmur- 
ing and perfected in patience, when he said, on the 
loss of his substance, and the death of his children, 
" the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, 
blessed be the name of the Lord." Stephen was 
saved also from anger and revenge, and perfected 
in love, when he prayed for his murderers in these 
pathetic words, " Lord Jesus, lay not this sin to 
their charge." 

12. It should be remarked, to the same effect, 
that a growing perfection in holiness is compatible 
with all the weaknesses and infirmities common to 
human nature. We cannot be saved in this life 
from error and mistake ; nor can we either love 
or serve the Lord in the manner which is due to 
his divine Majesty : and yet, where sincerity pre- 
vails in the heart, he will no more condemn us for 
these moral defects than for our natural infirmities. 
He has established his new covenant with man, 
not in a slate of perfection but of imperfection. — 
Hence all that we do has need of the merit of 
Christ to render it acceptable to God. The Lord 
himself is our righteousness and our glory. These 



TO CHRISTIANITY. 239 

infirmities should especially be kept in view in 
forming our opinion of the characters and reli- 
gious attainments of believers. Some are deliber- 
ate and dull, others cheerful and gay : some are 
calm and sedate, others are nervous and irritable. 
This variety in the tempers and character of men 
is the music of society ; and it is not the design 
of grace to destroy what is natural, but what is sin- 
ful. 

Let us therefore keep in view the exceeding great 
and precious promises which are given us in Christ 
Jesus, that by these we may be made partakers of 
the divine nature. Let us cleanse ourselves from 
all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holi- 
ness in the fear of God. Let us not live below 
our privileges, but let our graces mellow into matu- 
rity, that we may eat the full ripe fruit of the gospel 
dispensation, and be presented faultless before the 
presence of his glory with exceeding joy. 



THE END, 






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